Infants, Parents and Carers Bill

Argued that the amendment would align with the Bill's existing powers regarding the well-being of infants and parents but questioned whether the amendment would address the issue of inequalities within the statutory instruments of clause 1. He also stated that the assessment of need implicitly includes health and well-being, and he resisted the amendment to avoid the addition of other implicit requirements on Report.

Interjected to clarify that the discussion on the well-being of prospective parents or carers could include their well-being pre-conception and suggested that a technical amendment may be needed to the definition in clause 1(2).

Jessica Asato emphasised the need for cross-party consensus on early years investment, tabled an amendment to make the intention of the Bill explicit regarding inequalities. She argued that the Bill should explicitly address inequalities in outcomes for babies and infants, as the current legislation does not give sufficient voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. She also highlighted significant inequalities in health and development for babies in deprived areas and the importance of assessing the wellbeing of parents, especially given the high prevalence of maternal mental health conditions. She urged the Government to ensure the Bill is future-proof and resistant to changes in political priorities.

Desmond Swayne intervened to question the necessity of making equality explicit in the Bill, suggesting that it might already be implicit and that future-proofing against changes in political priorities may be futile.

Simon Opher supported the need to address inequalities in services, citing his experience as a GP and highlighting the specific needs of children born in deprived areas. He agreed with the argument for including equality in the Bill but suggested that it should be integrated within the Bill to ensure it addresses the specific needs of these children.

Jessica Brown-Fuller thanked the right hon. Member for New Forest West for introducing the legislation and raised concerns about the inclusion of parents undergoing IVF and the postcode lottery in respect of IVF services. She also emphasised the importance of addressing inequalities in breastfeeding support services, noting that families from more deprived areas are half as likely to breastfeed their children, despite the positive health outcomes and affordability of breastfeeding. She called for a commitment to publishing clear statutory guidance that defines the breastfeeding and infant feeding support services local authorities ought to provide under the Bill.

Sharon Hodgson spoke in support of the Bill and the amendment, highlighting the need for data and evidence to measure outcomes and understand where provision is working and where it is not. She emphasised the importance of considering inequalities in outcomes and expressed concern that the Bill does not currently require an assessment of outcomes. She argued that the amendment was necessary to future-proof the legislation and to hold future Governments to account on issues of equality or inequality.

Allison Gardner welcomed the Bill’s ambition to strengthen support for babies, parents, and carers during pregnancy and the earliest years of life, acknowledging the simplicity of the Bill but expressing concern about the potential omission of provisions on inequalities. She strongly supported amendment 1, which would require the Secretary of State to consider the wellbeing of babies and their parents, and inequalities in their outcomes, when assessing need and reporting on infant support services. She argued that the amendment would ensure that future Secretaries of State pay attention to local differences and inequalities when making decisions and targeting action and resources.

I commend the Bill introduced by the right hon. Member for New Forest West, and support amendment 1 tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Lowestoft. The amendment is about inequalities and would require the Government to understand and report on outcomes and inequalities for babies and their parents. It does not prescribe specific services or outcomes but ensures that inequalities remain a consistent part of the Government’s assessment and reporting. It is important to have a baseline and to be able to return to the data, year after year, to assess progress. As a physiotherapist, I know how important the Bill is for pre-term babies and the importance of the first 1,000 days for every baby. I believe this is an excellent Bill and I pay tribute to all the hard work undertaken by right hon. and hon. Members.

I support the Bill but raise concerns about clause 4(2)(b). The amendment and the Bill focus on the point of conception or preconception, but many factors that impact outcomes are determined preconception. For example, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is often due to alcohol exposure preconception. If we are serious about addressing inequalities, we must consider preconception. I also raised the need for healthy housing, mental health support, smoking cessation, exercise and diet. Environmental health is also crucial, as poor housing conditions can cause stress and anxiety during pregnancy. Information sharing between health services and local authorities is important for reducing the risk of a child being taken into care. We need an integrated, multi-agency workforce plan for the 1,001 critical day period to ensure real integration of services. Parents and carers with lived experience should have agency and voice in the report's formulation.

Child development is crucial; as a paediatrician, I witnessed profound effects of neglect and the positive outcomes of adequate support. The Bill aims to ensure every child receives the necessary care and interventions, especially those in need due to prematurity, chronic conditions, or parental mental health issues. Emphasises the importance of pre-conception and prenatal care, including optimising treatments and avoiding teratogenic drugs. Asks for updates on workforce plans and the modern service framework on maternity and neonatal care. Highlights the need for targeted support to address disparities in outcomes for black and Asian infants and mothers. Advocates for breastfeeding support in the early weeks to ensure proper nutrition for infants.

Welcomes the expansion of Healthy Babies to all local authorities, which complements the Bill by providing a clear framework for support from conception to age two. Addresses concerns raised in the debate, such as inclusion of IVF parents and support for breastfeeding through secondary legislation. Acknowledges the importance of workforce planning and integrated approaches, while recognising the voice and agency of families. Supports amendment 1 and expresses sympathy for cases like Chloe Wilshaw. Highlights the need for data sharing among health and local authorities to identify children at risk. Discusses the scope of the Bill, focusing on the period from conception to age two, and the importance of allowing the framework to evolve based on evidence and needs.

Welcomed the Government’s commitment to expanding the Healthy Babies programme across England but highlighted a 40% shortfall in the number of health visitors needed, with some covering up to 1,000 cases instead of 250. Asked the Minister about actions to address known deficiencies.

Thanked members of the Committee for their contributions, particularly the hon. Member for Lowestoft for tabling amendment 1, which enabled further debate and scrutiny of the Bill. Acknowledged the work of the Minister and her officials in preparing the Bill. Asked members to put Friday 29 January in their diaries for the Bill’s remaining stages, stressing the importance of a quorate Committee.