[Insert
the name of your MP] MP
House
of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Date: [Insert
date]
Dear [Insert
the name of your MP] MP
Baby
Food Marketing Malpractice – constituent request
As your constituent and a supporter of Baby Milk Action,
I am writing to draw your attention to an Early Day
Motion that I
hope you will sign and meeting that I hope you will
attend.
Early
Day Motion - 1173
In October 2002 the United Nations Committee on the
Rights of the Child report called on the on the
UK Government
to implement the World Health Assembly International
Code of
Marketing of
Breastmilk Substitutes. The UK still does not fully
comply. Lynne
Jones MP will be tabling an EDM on 12 May 2004
to highlight this and violations of the Code and subsequent
Resolutions
in other
countries – text attached. If you are willing to add
your name please let Lynne Jones know - you can either call
020 7219
4190 or sign and return the fax back form attached to this
letter to 020 7219 3870.
Meeting
13 May 2004
Members
of the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) from
a variety of countries presented
monitoring evidence
gathered by groups around the world to MPs
and explained current concerns. The meeting was
held during
UK Breastfeeding Awareness Week and prior to
the World Health
Assembly meeting
in Geneva
(commencing 17 May) where Member States will
be discussing infant and young child feeding.
I would be grateful if you could let me know
whether you will be signing the Motion.
Best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Constituents name and address:
[insert name and address including postcode]
PLEASE DO NOT SEND TO THE TABLE OFFICE
EARLY DAY MOTION
AND MEETING FAX BACK FORM TO LYNNE JONES MP:
020 7219 3870
That this house notes the monitoring evidence
collected by the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN),
a network of more than 200
groups in over 100 countries, demonstrates that companies continue to
market baby food products in breach of the World Health Assembly
International Code
of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent, relevant Resolutions;
also notes that where there is malpractice it is systematic and institutionalized
and that, globally, 1.5 million infants die every year because they are
not breastfed; and that even in industrialised countries
with universal access
to health care, there are significant negative effects of artificial
infant feeding, including increased risk of diabetes and
obesity; is concerned that
UK law only implements some provisions of the Code limiting these to
infant formula, not all breastmilk substitutes and that follow-on
formula, with similar
packaging and the same name as the infant formula, is widely advertised,
bottles and teat marketing is totally unregulated and while
the Code bans direct contact
with mothers, UK companies have baby clubs and 'carelines'; therefore
calls on the Government to support independently monitored
and enforced legislation
fully implementing the Code and Resolutions at UK, EU and international
level and additional WHA Resolutions to strengthen protection
of appropriate infant
feeding practices, to address emerging aggressive baby milk food marketing,
to make appropriate policy changes in response to scientific developments;
and to take action to ensure that EU Council Resolution 92/C172/01 on
the marketing of breastmilk substitutes in third countries
by Community-based manufacturers
functions effectively.
NAME OF MP – PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY
___ Yes, please add my name to above
Early Day Motion
signed:
FAX TO 020 7219
3870
|
