§ Ms DrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission an economic analysis of the benefits of breastfeeding to(a) the NHS and (b) the UK economy. [173946]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Department remains fully committed to promoting breastfeeding but has no current plans to commission an economic analysis its benefits.
§ Ms DrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make recommendations in support of World Health Organisation findings that infants should continue to be breastfed up to two years of age and beyond. [173947]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Government support the World Health Organisation's global recommendation that infants should continue to breastfed up to two years of age. The Department recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, then continuing breastfeeding with appropriate types and amounts of weaning foods until the end of the first year of life or longer.