§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on Government policy on encouraging breastfeeding. [79890]
§ Ms BlearsThe Government are fully committed to the promotion of breastfeeding, which is accepted as the best form of nutrition for infants. The National Health Service priorities and planning framework for 2003–2006 includes a challenging new target to deliver 535W an increase of two percentage points per year in breastfeeding initiation rate, focusing especially on women from disadvantaged groups. The Infant Feeding Survey 2000 showed that the incidence of breastfeeding in England and Wales increased from 68 per cent. in 1995 to 71 per cent. in 2000, but varied between different social classes and the incidence of breastfeeding in social class v. increased from 50 per cent. in 1995 to 59 per cent. in 2000.
We have recently published for consultation proposals to replace the war-time welfare food scheme with a new programme which would provide better nutrition and greater choice for over 800,000 people in low income families. The current scheme may act as a disincentive for women to breastfeed.
The infant feeding initiative was launched in 1999 to tackle health inequalities with the aim to increase the incidence and duration of breastfeeding amongst those groups of the population where breastfeeding rates are the lowest. To date, 79 local projects have been funded to identify "best practice" to increase breastfeeding rates. The best start project is a randomised control trial looking at an intervention into midwives practice and the impact on breastfeeding duration. The results will be disseminated later this year.
The national breastfeeding awareness week (NBAW) was held in May 2002 with a theme on normalising breastfeeding. NBAW will also be held in May 2003.