§ Jim DobbinTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for what reasons 1998 was used90WS as the baseline year for calculating teenage pregnancy rates since the launch of the teenage pregnancy strategy. [133146]
§ Margaret HodgeIn 1998, the Social Exclusion Unit (SEU) was asked by the Prime Minister to study the causes of teenage pregnancy and to develop a strategy to reduce the high rates of teenage pregnancy and parenthood in England. Following the publication of the SEU report on Teenage Pregnancy in June 1999, the Teenage Pregnancy Unit was set up in the Department of Health. 1998 was used as the baseline year for calculating teenage pregnancy rates as data for that year were the latest available at the time the Teenage Pregnancy Unit began implementing the Strategy's 30 point action plan in 2000.