§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she plans a full investigation of the safety of cot and baby mattresses; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SackvilleDr. Kenneth Calman, the chief medical officer, has set up an expert group to steer further work by the Department on cot deaths. The group will be chaired by Lady Limerick.
Its terms of reference are:
To review the findings of the report on "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome" (the "Turner Report", 1991) and any subsequent data on hypotheses linking antimony with unexplained deaths in infants; and to advise the CMO on what further studies should be undertaken to investigate postulated causal relationships between chemicals and cot deaths.The group has been asked to review the available material and to provide the Department with advice as quickly as possible. It will meet shortly.