Oral Question·Women and Equalities
“What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help protect the rights of women with endometriosis in the workplace.”
Tabled: 5 March 2026Answered: 11 March 2026
Asked by
Mrs Elsie Blundell
Labour — Heywood and Middleton North
Answering Minister
the Minister for Women and Equalities
Answer from Hansard
The Minister for Equalities (Seema Malhotra)
While around 1.5 million women live with endometriosis, survey data shows that it can take more than nine years to receive a diagnosis, which will clearly have a significant impact on those women’s careers. We are acting so that women receive medical support earlier, ensuring that they can access diagnostic testing and are not dismissed by doctors. Measures in the Employment Rights Act 2025 will support women in managing the condition at work.