Overview of the Act
Women may be put off seeking high office due to inadequate maternity support. The Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Act 2021 (the Act) provides for the Prime Minister, relying on the prerogative power to make appointments, to advise the Sovereign to appoint a current Government Minister to the position of ‘Minister on Leave’ for a time-limited period for six months under certain circumstances, namely to enable the Minister in question to take paid maternity leave.
	The payment and office will not count for the salary and headcount limits specified in the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975 and the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975.
	The Act also makes provision allowing for time-limited payments to be made to individuals who are providing cover for certain offices in Her Majesty’s Official Opposition (those listed in Schedule 2 to the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975) on the basis that the office holder in question is on maternity leave.