§ Mr. BlizzardTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to encourage breastfeeding of babies. [134563]
§ Yvette CooperWe are fully committed to the promotion of breastfeeding, which is uniformly accepted as the best form of nutrition for infants. We also firmly believe that it is important that women and their partners are able to make a fully informed choice on how to feed their babies based on accurate and consistent information. This means that women should have access to information about all infant feeding practices through the relevant health care professional to be confident about the choices they make.
The Infant Feeding Initiative was launched in May 1999 as part of our commitment to improve health inequalities. We have appointed two part-time National Infant Feeding Advisers to act as a focus for developing and implementing strategies for promoting breastfeeding. In particular, their expertise is being utilised to increase the incidence of breastfeeding among groups where breastfeeding rates are lowest, for example, those on low income, and to ensure that all mothers have the information and support they need to make informed infant feeding choices.
We have established the National Network of Breastfeeding Co-ordinators 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 took place this year from 14-20 May.
We also provide financial support to the four main voluntary organisations in this area, the National Childbirth Trust, La Leche League, Breastfeeding Network and the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers. Close links are also kept with UNICEF's Baby Friendly Initiative (UKBFI) which includes a departmental observer sitting on the Steering Committee of the UKBFI. We offer support for research into breastfeeding through the Quinquennial Surveys of Infant Feeding Practice; a new survey will be undertaken this year. Also, as part of the Department's research initiative on health inequalities, we are supporting a study aimed at identifying the barriers to breastfeeding in low income groups. The Department also receives and publishes expert advice on breastfeeding through its advisory committees.