MPs pass 'long overdue' bill for ministers' paid maternity leave
February 12, 2021, 12:12 pm

MPs pass 'long overdue' bill for ministers' paid maternity leave

The paymaster general, Penny Mordaunt, during consideration of the ministerial and other maternity allowances bill in the House of Commons.

Government says it will bring forward more protections amid accusations of double standards

MPs have voted to give ministers formal paid maternity leave for the first time, hailed as an “important and long overdue change” as the government pledged to bring forward more sweeping maternity protections before the summer recess.

However, the move to give the attorney general, Suella Braverman, six months’ paid leave drew accusations of double standards during the parliamentary debate, including over the omission of any reference to paternity leave and the failure to extend similar benefits to backbenchers.

Some MPs also protested over the language in the bill, which refers to a person, rather than a woman, which minister Penny Mordaunt said was “not a policy decision around language”.

Mordaunt said the bill put an end to the “wholly unacceptable” situation of a minister having to resign in order to take leave. Braverman is expecting her baby at the end of February.

Giving her backing to the bill, Caroline Nokes, the Conservative chair of the women and equalities select committee, said it was a “mess” that the issues had not been resolved in a more considered matter.

“What a mess that it is well into the 21st century before we have had to face this situation. And why oh why did it cross nobody’s mind that we might need to address this prior to it having the urgency it now does?” she said. “Is it really that unthinkable that a secretary of state or one of the law officers could become, heavens above, pregnant?”

Nokes said the legislation does not go far enough as it fails to address adoption leave or shared parental leave, noting that she wanted reassurances that “swift” action would follow to deal with remaining issues.

Two pregnant backbench MPs spoke in the debate raising the disparity. Labour MP Feryal Clark, who is due to give birth at the end of April, said she was “scared about taking informal maternity leave”.

“I’m scared that it will be used against me politically, and most depressing of all, I’m scared that beneath the warm words of ‘good luck’ and ‘congratulations’ some members will take a dim view of my taking of maternity leave at all,” Clark said.

Stella Creasy, who is pregnant with her second child, has said she will consider legal action unless similar benefits are extended to backbenchers. “I want to be clear with the government: they have made some commitments today, but like the Suffragettes said, this has got to be deeds, not words.

“I am early on in my pregnancy, I shouldn’t have to reveal that, but I am doing that today to be very clear to pregnant women around this country that they will find champions in this place, that it is not enough that we only act for that small group of women at the top of our society. We must act for every woman to be able to have maternity leave.”

Labour MP and mother of the house, Harriet Harman, said the bill should be an impetus to address low maternity pay. “The government have done the right thing by the attorney general and women cabinet ministers. Now they need to put right the completely wrong situation for the rest of the women in the country and what they face,” she said.

“Statutory maternity pay is only £152 per week and at that it is less than half of what you would get on the national minimum wage – so her income is clobbered just when she needs to be spending more. Honestly, if men had babies, do we really think that maternity pay would be so insultingly low? Not a chance.”

Some MPs, including Labour’s Tonia Antoniazzi, the Conservatives Sir Edward Leigh and the SNP’s Joanna Cherry, said they did not agree with the language in the bill.

Antoniazzi said: “The fact that it refers to a person who is pregnant and doesn’t mention ‘woman’, ‘women’, ‘she’ at any point is totally at odds with all other maternity rights and protection legislation.”

Mordaunt, the paymaster general, said it had been a “particular drafting issue” but said: “I do understand how offensive the word ‘person’ or ‘persons’ can be in this context and I hope that we can make some changes, if not to the legislation, but to the explanatory notes.”

The ministerial and other maternity allowances bill cleared the House of Commons after receiving an unopposed third reading. It will now undergo further scrutiny in the House of Lords.

source: Jessica Elgot

Levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.