§ Mr. John BrowneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will obtain a copy of the report, "Must Babies Still Die?" published by Mr. Barry Richardson in November for his departmental library.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyA copy of the report has been received and been very carefully studied by professional staff. The data it contains were available to and considered by the independent expert working group whose report on sudden infant death syndrome was published in June, a copy of which is available in the Library.
§ Mr. John BrowneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there is a significant risk of poisonous gases being given off from previously soiled cot mattresses; and what plans he has to warn parents of this risk to second babies.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe independent expert working group which considered the hypothesis that poisonous gases given off from mattresses were a cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) found no link between the mattresses, microbial contamination and the generation of toxic volatile gases. The factors associated with SIDS are listed in its report, a copy of which is in the Library, and have been publicised by the Chief Medical Officer. Nursing a baby on a mattress that has been used by another baby is not one of these.