§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent(a) guidelines to local education authorities and (b) advice to parents his Department has issued about the control of nits. [117965]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 6 April 2000]: A new leaflet on the prevention and treatment of nits (head lice) has been launched, copies of which are widely available to parents through primary health care teams. Guidance is also available to local education authorities by accessing the "Wired for Health" website. The teachers' magazine "Spectrum", which circulates within education authorities and schools, recently featured guidance on head lice control and the new leaflet.