§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the number of unplanned teenage pregnancies(a) nationally and (b) in the West Midlands. [136697]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 6 November 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, East (Ms Prentice) on 14 June 1999, Official Report, columns 17–18.
The Social Exclusion Unit's report on teenage pregnancy, published on 14 June 1999, sets out a 30 point action plan working across Government. It sets out a £60 million package to tackle the issue, and highlights two main goals: reducing the number of teenage conceptions, with the specific aim of halving the rate of conceptions among under 18s by 2010; and getting more teenage parents into education, training or employment to reduce their risk of long term social exclusion.
Copies of the report are available in the Library.
Following the launch of the report, every area in England now has a local teenage pregnancy co-ordinator in place, making a total of 141. Their role is to develop strategies to tackle teenage pregnancy in their area, in consultation with local communities. They will report annually on progress to the Department of Health. £7.5 million has been made available for innovative local projects in the current financial year.
The NHS Plan has set an interim target of achieving a 15 per cent. reduction in under-18 conception rates by 2004.
New guidance on sex and relationship education was issued to schools in July. A national media campaign began at the end of October, when the first adverts appeared in teenage magazines. The campaign was developed drawing on comprehensive research on what works best with young people. It is aimed as much at boys as at girls.
During 2000–01, we provided funding of over £1 million to the West Midlands to develop local services to prevent teenage pregnancy and support teenage parents. Specific initiatives include a Sexual Health and Drugs Outreach Work (SHADOW) project in Coventry that addresses sexual health, pregnancy and healthy lifestyles for young people. This will link to a one-stop shop, due to open shortly in Coventry city centre, to deliver a number of services such as Connexions, youth information and a general advice and counselling service for young people. A mobile sexual health and advice clinic has been set up in North Staffordshire, enabling young people to access services in youth and leisure facilities.