§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to provide additional ring-fenced allowances to midwives to help them attain set targets on numbers of breast-feeding mothers.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesNo, but it is our policy aim that pay arrangements for all NHS staff groups should become more flexible and more explicitly related to performance as measured in terms of deliverable objectives and quality of service to patients.
§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the current targets set by midwives in Wares for numbers of mothers undertaking breast feeding; and what financial support is currently granted by his Department to assist in the attainment of such targets.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesI am aware of no targets set by midwives in Wales for numbers of mothers breast feeding. However, one the health gain targets of the "Protocol for Investment in Health Gain: Maternal and Early Child Health", published in August 1991 by the Welsh Office's NHS directorate, was that each district should reduce to 20 per cent. by 1997 the failure rate among women choosing to breast feed and to 5 per cent. by 2002.
The Government are committed to encouraging mothers to breastfeed. In the current financial year, the Welsh Office is giving a grant of £16,400 to fund a Welsh co-ordinator for the joint breast-feeding initiative. The aims of the initiative are to improve support for breast-feeding mothers and to stimulate a wish to continue breast feeding.