HC Deb 05 June 1998 vol 313 cc404-5W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are currently being taken to promote a higher rate of breastfeeding. [43609]

Ms Jowell

We are fully committed to the promotion of breastfeeding, which is universally accepted as the best form of nutrition for infants. Nevertheless, it is important that women are able to make a fully informed choice based on accurate and consistent information on the benefits of breastfeeding.

The Department funds the National Network of Breastfeeding Co-ordinators (NNBC). The NNBC has been established to promote breastfeeding at a local level and to share ideas nationally with a view to increasing both the number of mothers breastfeeding and the length of time they continue to breastfeed.

Each year, the four United Kingdom Health Departments support national breastfeeding awareness week to increase public awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding, which this year took place between 17–23 May. This year, as in other years, the Department funded and provided the publicity materials used during the week. These included posters and postcards aimed at promoting breastfeeding with the slogan "free fast food for babies".

The Department also provides financial support to the three main voluntary organisations in this area, the National Childbirth Trust, La Leche League and the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers. Close links are also kept with United Nations Children's Fund Baby-friendly Initiative which includes a Departmental observer sitting on the Steering Committee of the UK Baby Friendly Initiative.

The Department offers support for research into breastfeeding through the Quinquennial Surveys of Infant Feeding Practice, the report of the 1995 survey was published last year. The Department also receives and publishes expert advice on breastfeeding through its advisory committees, such as Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy Panel on Child and Material Nutrition.

We are concerned about the apparently low breastfeeding rates in this country, especially when compared with some other European countries such as Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The low incidence of breastfeeding is especially marked in low-income groups. That is why, as part of the Department's research initiative on health inequalities, we are planning to support a study aimed at identifying the barriers to breastfeeding in low-income groups. This should help us to understand what influences a woman's decision whether to breastfeed or not. In turn, this will help us to develop and test new interventions aimed at increasing breastfeeding levels and improving the health of babies from low-income families.