The following motion on part-time pay penalty for mothers was lodged in the Scottish Parliament by John Wilson on 28th February 2008.
That the Parliament notes with concern the article Part-time pay penalty for mothers which appeared in the Economic Journal which found that women who return to work after having a child are often faced with drastic pay cuts when they return for part-time employment; notes that six million women in the United Kingdom are currently working part time and that those part-time hourly earnings are 26% lower than full-time earnings, and believes that more can be done to ensure that mothers returning to work are entitled to equal pay in comparison to their full-time associates.
March 14, 2008
The following motion on maternity services was lodged in the Scottish Parliament by Pauline McNeill on March 6th 2008.
That the Parliament welcomes NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s decision that antenatal services will be retained in the west end of Glasgow, following the closure of the Queen Mother’s Maternity Hospital in 2009, with a temporary service provided on the Western Infirmary campuses and calls on the NHS board to continue looking for a west end location to ensure local provision for mothers-to-be in the long term.
March 14, 2008
In response to a written question from Mr M Story MLA, the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety made assurances that there were no plans to remove the provision of consultant-led maternity services from the Causeway Hospital.
March 14, 2008
The Campaign to End Child Poverty welcomed this week’s budget announcement as a signal of the Government’s continuing commitment to ending child poverty. The Chancellor boldly set out the Government’s intention to end child poverty with investments of nearly £1 billion through increasing child benefit and child tax credits.
The campaign welcomed the measures stating that with nearly £1 billion in this week’s budget, the Government had shown it’s determination to keep their promise to a generation and invest in the 3.8 million children being held back by poverty in the UK today. These measures will not on their own hit the crucial target of halving child poverty by 2010 but they are an encouraging and important step forward.
The Campaign to End Child Poverty, of which the NCT is a member will increase the pressure on the government this year to keep its child poverty promise.”
March 14, 2008
Ian McKee MSP questioned Shona Robison regarding whether or not community midwives should be allocated to meet the specific maternal and neonatal risk factors in particular areas rather than on a crude population basis. The Minister responded that she agreed risk factors needed to be taken into account in the allocation of midwives, particularly in more deprived communities, where there is greater need and offered to write to Mr Keen and discuss the matter further in writing.
March 14, 2008
In response to a written question from Jim Cunningham MP regarding the government’s plans to improve the diet of children aged one to four, Dawn Primarolo drew attention to a range of measures included in the government’s recently published obesity strategy, “Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives”.
The programme focuses in particular on the early years including: maternal nutrition, encouraging breastfeeding and supporting healthy weaning and healthy diets in young children. A National Breastfeeding Helpline was launched recently as part of teh strategy.
In addition, through the Healthy Start Scheme, the Department provides advice on healthy eating and vouchers to low-income families with children under the age of four years, that can be exchanged for milk, fresh fruit, vegetables or infant formula. A range of key publications are also made available to mothers which includes advice on healthy eating, breastfeeding, weaning and “Feeding your Toddler”.
March 14, 2008
Mr B Wilson MLA has asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety if he intends to introduce a Breastfeeding Bill, similar to legislation in force in Scotland, to protect the rights of mothers to breastfeed their children in public places or licensed premises. The Minister responded that there wer currently no plans to introduce legislation to protect te right of mothers to breastfeed in public places but said that whilst the Breastfeeding Strategy published in 1999 is currently being reviewed, developments in breastfeeding promotion and practice, including legislative changes in other parts of the UK, would be considered as part of the review to inform recommendations on the way forward.
March 14, 2008
Jonathan Craif MLA has brought the attention of the department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to the fact that the Down midwife-led maternity unit is still closed following a “temporary” closure in 2003-2004 by asking how many births had taken place there in the last 12 months. The Minister listed the number of births to take place last year in a number of consultant led maternity units in the area but did nit comment on the closure.
March 14, 2008
