§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what policies have followed fulfilment of the Public Service Agreement target to complete and publish reports on teenage pregnancy for 16 to 18-year-olds not in education. [21260]
§ Yvette CooperThere is no Public Service Agreement to complete and publish reports on teenage pregnancy for 16 to 18-year-olds not in education.
Our teenage pregnancy strategy aims to help more teenage parents into education, training or employment. 20 Sure Start Plus pilots are under way, providing personal support for pregnant teenagers and teenage parents on health, education, benefits and housing issues. Nine further pilots are testing how best to provide for child care for teenage parents, to help them access education or work. Teenage parents are also eligible for the education maintenance allowance in areas where this is being piloted, two of which (Cornwall and Stoke) are testing additional flexibilities to meet the needs of teenage parents, including a longer period of eligibility for the allowance. Every local area in England has in place a 10-year multi-agency strategy to tackle teenage pregnancy, including action to improve support for teenage parents. Between 1997 and 2001, the percentage of teenage mothers aged between 16 and 19 in education, training or employment increased from 16 per cent. to 29 per cent.