The fight for paid miscarriage leave will go on.
That's the view of Lanarkshire MP Angela Crawley, who has expressed her disappointment at her bill being talked out by the UK Government.
It was due to have its second reading on Friday, December 2, but this was delayed until March and may now not take place at all.
The Miscarriage Leave Bill proposed by Lanark and Hamilton East MP Ms Crawley called for the introduction of a statutory right for parents who experience miscarriage before 24 weeks to three days of paid leave.
However they will now still go without this statutory provision, forcing them to rely on the goodwill of their employer or take sick leave or annual leave.
Ms Crawley says the UK Government will still be able to support the bill when it returns to Parliament but it may be too far down the list of Private Members’ Bills to be debated if the government doesn’t bring in an employment bill as was previously promised.
Commenting, Ms Crawley told Lanarkshire Live : “I am extremely disappointed that the Westminster system has yet again let down parents who experience miscarriage.
“There are certain techniques that are used to prevent bills from advancing through Parliament and including filibustering to talk out a bill.
“It was clear that the Tories did so to the detriment of the Miscarriage Leave Bill.
“I will continue to fight for paid leave for parents who experience miscarriage to ensure they are supported and that they are properly able to grieve their loss.
“Some incredible people and organisations have supported my bill and I am incredibly grateful for everything they have done.”
In April 2020, the government introduced two-weeks paid leave for people who have experienced a miscarriage after the 24-week period.
However, Ms Crawley wants to see this extended to those who face the trauma at an early stage of pregnancy.
The move has already received widespread support, with the point that the majority of miscarriages take place within the first trimester of pregnancy being stressed amidst Ms Crawley’s bill.
In calls last year, she explained: “This traumatic life event will inevitably affect both parents differently.
"There is a cost associated with such a loss, as many parents opt to take unpaid or sick leave, so there is already a financial penalty for people up and down the country.
“Often an employer has no idea what the nature of their employee’s sickness is, or the ramifications for their business.
"Therefore, having a policy on this issue, or the right to take paid leave in statute, should not add any further burden to them."
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