§ 21. Ms AbbottTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to change the current arrangements for maternity benefit; and if she will make a statement. [23072]
§ Mr. DenhamWe want working women to have confidence that the arrangements for maternity pay will help them balance their work and their family responsibilities. The current system is unfair and complicated and fails the lowest paid.
§ 23. Ms HewittTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate she has made of the number of women currently in employment who would not qualify for maternity pay. [23074]
§ Mr. Denham50,000 pregnant working women a year do not qualify for maternity benefits because their earnings are too low. This is out of 360,000 working women who become pregnant each year.