§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on promoting breast feeding in 2001–02 and 2002–03. [166465]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Department produces a number of educational resources and promotional materials to communicate positive messages about breastfeeding to mothers, families, friends, health professionals and others in the community. The materials are available year round but are actively promoted during the national breastfeeding awareness week in May of every year. The awareness week is also the focus of specific regional promotional events.
In addition, during 2001–02, the Department spent just under £1 mill ion as part of the infant feeding initiative, which provided support for 79 best practice community-based projects on breastfeeding and funded two part time national infant feeding advisers as well as other work related to promoting breastfeeding. The Department continues to have a national infant feeding adviser and the 79 projects have been evaluated. The evaluation will form the basis of best practice guidance to health professionals; to be launched at this year's awareness week from 9 to 15 May.
The total spend on promotion of breastfeeding is shown in the table.
Amount spent (£) 2001–02 1,115,000 2002–03 263,000