Joy as new law to protect jobs of pregnant women and new parents backed

A new law giving extra job protection to pregnant women and new parents has cleared the Commons after being put forward by a Labour MP.

Dan Jarvis told MPs they had a "precious opportunity within our grasp to make a real difference to over 50,000 pregnant women and new parents each year".

His bill - which will provide extra protection to women during and after pregnancy, as well as measures to support new dads - passed unopposed.

It will mean employers have a legal duty to prioritise soon-to-be and new parents facing redundancy by offering them - not inviting them to apply for - a suitable alternative vacancy.

He said after it went through: "This is a fantastic result. I'm delighted with the progress that we've made."

Labour's Dan Jarvis, who proposed the bill, said he was delighted (Tim Merry)

Mr Jarvis told the Commons: "Many of us here know all too well the trials and tribulations of becoming a new parent.

"Everything can be a worry. How quickly or slowly your newborn is hitting milestones - breastfeeding, rolling over, sitting, crawling, a never-ending list of questions racing through your mind.

"A lot of these worries are about issues that are beyond our control, but today we have the chance to alleviate some of that anxiety by ensuring that one of the things new parents are less worried about is whether they will have a job to return to after taking parental leave."

The Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill was supported by MPs unopposed and will now undergo further scrutiny in the House of Lords.

Mr Jarvis added: "I think what new parents need as a minimum is job security, and this Bill seeks to provide that by increasing security in the workplace for both pregnant women and new parents by extending redundancy protections.

"This means that a statutory duty will be placed on employers to prioritise soon-to-be and new parents in a redundancy situation, by offering them, not inviting them to apply for, a suitable alternative vacancy if their job becomes at risk."

Business minister Kevin Hollinrake said the Government was "pleased" to support the Bill, adding: "These measures will provide invaluable support and protection for pregnant women and new parents. A little bit more security during these times in people's lives is so important.

"The evidence and analysis of the need to introduce additional protection is absolutely clear to the Government."

Mr Hollinrake said the measures are "wholly in line with our ongoing commitment to support workers and build a high-skilled, high-productivity, high-wage economy".