§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his action to reduce the rate of conceptions among women under 18-years-old. [83164]
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§ Ms BlearsThe Social Exclusion Unit Teenage Pregnancy Report was published in June 1999. This set out the Government's teenage pregnancy strategy with the goal of reducing the under 18 conception rate by 50 per cent., by 2010. An interim reduction target of 15 per cent., by 2004 is set out in the Government Manifesto and NHS Plan. A second goal of the strategy is to increase to 60 per cent., by 2010 the participation of teenage parents in education, training or employment to reduce their long term risk of social exclusion.
The strategy has a 30 point action plan. 26 of the action points have been completed with two action points, 11 and 20, due to be completed by the end of the financial year.
Action point 13 is to deliver guidance on the circumstances in which different health professionals may prescribe, supply and administer contraceptives to under 16s. Further work is being undertaken to identify the extent and nature of confusion among health professionals to inform the need and content of further guidance.
The target completion date for Action point 29 is 2003.
There are encouraging early signs that the strategy is working. There has been a 6 per cent., reduction in the under 18 and under 16 conception rate from the baseline year of 1998 with latest data showing a reduction in the under 18 conception rate for the 12th successive quarter.
However, considerable further work is needed to ensure that activity is sustained and monitored. Our response to the first annual report of the independent advisory group on teenage pregnancy was published in June 2002 and sets out a further programme of work to deliver our headline goals. Our commitment is further underlined by the inclusion of the under 18 reduction target in the public service agreements for both the Department and local government.