Written questions by Costigan.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of maternity pay for people with (a) twins and (b) multiples.

We want new mothers to be able to take time away from work. Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance rates are reviewed annually and were raised again by 6.7% in April 2024 from £172.48 to £184.03. Maternity pay is primarily a health and safety provisions for pregnant working women. It is not intended to replace a woman's earnings completely, nor is it intended to assist with the costs associated with the birth of a new child or children. Rather it provides a measure of financial security to help pregnant working women take time off work in the later stages of their pregnancy and in the months following childbirth. Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance are not paid in respect of each child but in respect of each pregnancy. The qualifying conditions for both are generally based on a woman's recent employment and earnings. Maternity pay represents only one element of state-funded support available to new families in the first years of their child’s life. Depending on individual circumstances, additional financial support, for example Child Benefits and Sure Start Maternity Grant, may also be available. In terms of wider support for parents, the Government committed [ in its manifesto] to review parental leave to ensure that it best supports working families. Further details of the review will be announced in due course.

What steps she is taking to ensure that engagement in physical activity does not put disabled people at potential risk of losing their benefits.

Entitlement to disability benefits is based on a functional assessment of the person’s ability to perform a range of activities relevant to the specific benefit. Engaging in regular physical activity will not automatically result in reduction in benefit or trigger review or reassessment. It will, however, be considered when assessing the person’s functional ability. It is regrettable to note - as reported in the ‘Activity Alliance Annual Disability and Activity Survey (June 2024)’ - that “around two-fifths (38%) of disabled people say that a fear of their benefits or financial assistance being taken away prevents them from trying to be more active”. This government is committed to championing the rights of disabled people and to the principle of working with them, so that their views and voices will be at the heart of all that we do.

If she will take steps to (a) clarify guidance and (b) introduce further safeguarding measures to ensure that disabled people who engage in regular physical activity do not risk a (a) review of and (b) reduction to their disability benefits.

Entitlement to disability benefits is based on a functional assessment of the person’s ability to perform a range of activities relevant to the specific benefit. Engaging in regular physical activity will not automatically result in reduction in benefit or trigger review or reassessment. It will, however, be considered when assessing the person’s functional ability. It is regrettable to note - as reported in the ‘Activity Alliance Annual Disability and Activity Survey (June 2024)’ - that “around two-fifths (38%) of disabled people say that a fear of their benefits or financial assistance being taken away prevents them from trying to be more active”. This government is committed to championing the rights of disabled people and to the principle of working with them, so that their views and voices will be at the heart of all that we do.