A Bill to place a duty on the Secretary of State to ensure equal access to maternity services for people living in rural and coastal areas to those living in other areas, including access to the same range of birthing methods and locations; to require consultant-led maternity services to be available within 45 minutes of an expectant mother’s home; and for connected purposes.
This Bill would require the government to ensure that people living in rural and coastal areas have the same access to maternity services as those in other areas, including the same range of birthing methods and locations. It would also require consultant-led maternity services to be available within 45 minutes of an expectant mother's home, aiming to reduce rural inequalities in maternity care.
The Bill is currently at Second Reading in the House of Commons and will need to progress through Committee Stage, Report Stage and Third Reading before moving to the House of Lords.
Generated 21 February 2026
The 2021-2022 session of Parliament has prorogued and this Bill will make no further progress.
No recorded votes for this bill yet.
