HC Deb 04 July 1994 vol 246 cc100-1W
Ms Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what policy initiatives her Department is undertaking to encourage an improvement in the uptake of breastfeeding; and what plans she has to set targets for rates of breastfeeding at three and six months among mothers of new babies.

Mr. Sackville

The Department continues to support breastfeeding as the best way of feeding a baby. The national breastfeeding working group set up as part of the "Health of the Nation" strategy is working on a number of initiatives aimed to promote and protect breastfeeding including the drafting of guidance to the national health service which is likely to encourage district health authorities to consider setting local targets for breastfeeding rates.

Ms Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department submitted evidence to the Health and Safety Commission in response to the consultative document on proposals to implement the health and safety aspects of the EC pregnant workers directive; and what effect she expects the proposed amendments to the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations to have on breastfeeding rates among mothers of new babies.

Mr. Sackville

The Department has had discussions with the Health and Safety Executive about the proposals in its consultation document.

We do not foresee that those amendments will have any significant effect on the breastfeeding rates.