§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what expenditure was incurred in each of the last five years; and what the level is of projected expenditure to 2005–06 to tackle teenage pregnancy; and if he will make a statement. [120770]
§ Mr. Stephen TwiggThe Teenage Pregnancy Strategy was launched in June 1999. Expenditure and provision for the Strategy is listed below.
There are early encouraging signs of progress. The most recent data for 2001 shows a 10 per cent. reduction in the under 18 conception rate and an 11 per cent. fall in the under 16 conception rate since 1998, the baseline year for the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy. Participation of teenage parents in education, training or employment has doubled from 16 per cent. to 33 per cent.
Teenage pregnancy strategy £ million Expenditure 1999–2000 5 2000–01 16 2001–02 21 2001–03 21 2003–04 35 2004–05 40 2005–06 40 Note
Figures quoted for 2003–04 and 2005–06 are provisional and are the Spending Review 2002 Allocations.
The table details the funding of local teenage pregnancy strategies and central activity led by the Teenage Pregnancy Unit including campaigns. Teenage parents are also supported in other ways, for example through reintegrating school age mothers into education via the Vulnerable Children Grant, supporting the child care costs of teenage parents in post-16 education and by housing support for those teenage parents who are unable to live with their families.
§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his policy is on the recommendation in the recent Health Committee report on Sexual Health for a National Service Framework on sexual health as part of his Department's strategy to reduce teenage pregnancy. [123435]
§ Mr. Stephen TwiggThe information requested has been placed in the Libraries.