PROVISION OF MILK TOKENS FOR ASYLUM SEEKER MOTHERS

Early day motion 741, tabled 28 January 2002 by Neil Gerrard (Labour). Signed by 127 members.

That this House believes that mothers who are asylum seekers should be eligible to receive milk tokens to purchase formula milk on the same basis as mothers who receive income support payments; is concerned that asylum seeker mothers who are HIV positive and cannot afford to buy formula milk have no option but to breastfeed children and by doing so greatly increase the risk of the child becoming infected with HIV; notes that the Department of Health in setting a target of an 80 per cent reduction in the number of children in the United Kingdom with HIV acquired from their mothers specifically referred to the risks of HIV transmission by breastfeeding; recognises that because of the stigma attached to HIV infection some women are reluctant to disclose their infection and that in public health terms the only efficient way to reach all those infected is to have milk tokens generally available to asylum seeker women with young children; and urges the Government to take action to safeguard the health of the children of asylum seekers by making milk tokens available.

Signatures by party: Labour 82, Liberal Democrat 26, Labour/Co-operative 5, Conservative 4, Scottish National Party 3, UUP 3, Plaid Cymru 2, Independent 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.