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| Give young free condoms, says MP | Give young free condoms, says MP |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Free condoms should be given to young people as part of a campaign to cut teenage pregnancies, says a Labour MP. | Free condoms should be given to young people as part of a campaign to cut teenage pregnancies, says a Labour MP. |
| Chris Bryant wants them made available first in the 150 areas of the UK with the highest levels of teen pregnancy. | Chris Bryant wants them made available first in the 150 areas of the UK with the highest levels of teen pregnancy. |
| Recent figures show there were 43.4 live births per 1,000 girls in his Rhondda constituency, above the Welsh average of 33.7. In England it is 28.9. | Recent figures show there were 43.4 live births per 1,000 girls in his Rhondda constituency, above the Welsh average of 33.7. In England it is 28.9. |
| Mr Bryant also wants booklets sent to all parents on their children's 11th birthday to help them talk about sex. | Mr Bryant also wants booklets sent to all parents on their children's 11th birthday to help them talk about sex. |
| The Rhondda MP said parents and children, especially in the poorest communities, can find it difficult to talk about sex and he added that sex education was also "rudimentary at best". | The Rhondda MP said parents and children, especially in the poorest communities, can find it difficult to talk about sex and he added that sex education was also "rudimentary at best". |
| Have Your SayFind out why they want to get pregnant and what they need as an alternative option to pregnancy. This is a cultural behavior problem, start there. Everything else is just a quick fix that won't change much.RJ, West Midlands | Have Your SayFind out why they want to get pregnant and what they need as an alternative option to pregnancy. This is a cultural behavior problem, start there. Everything else is just a quick fix that won't change much.RJ, West Midlands |
| He has also launched a website, teenagemums.org.uk, and wants sexual health clinics at schools and colleges. | He has also launched a website, teenagemums.org.uk, and wants sexual health clinics at schools and colleges. |
| Mr Bryant will host a debate in Parliament's Westminster Hall on Wednesday amid statistics showing that the UK has the highest rate in Western Europe, and second in the world, behind the US. | Mr Bryant will host a debate in Parliament's Westminster Hall on Wednesday amid statistics showing that the UK has the highest rate in Western Europe, and second in the world, behind the US. |
| He said although the number had been falling since 1997, the map of teenage pregnancy was also "the map of British deprivation". | He said although the number had been falling since 1997, the map of teenage pregnancy was also "the map of British deprivation". |
| Among a series of recommendations, he wants government ministers in England and Wales to target support at "the most at risk" in the areas with highest rates of teenage pregnancy. | Among a series of recommendations, he wants government ministers in England and Wales to target support at "the most at risk" in the areas with highest rates of teenage pregnancy. |
| Last month the Department of Health found rates had been reduced by just 11.4% since 1998 in England, against a target to cut them in half by 2010. | Last month the Department of Health found rates had been reduced by just 11.4% since 1998 in England, against a target to cut them in half by 2010. |
| Chris Bryant MP wants condoms to be given to teenagers | |
| That led to the Department for Children, Schools and Families - which is jointly responsible for England's target with the Department of Health - promising that efforts would be "redoubled". | That led to the Department for Children, Schools and Families - which is jointly responsible for England's target with the Department of Health - promising that efforts would be "redoubled". |
| Wales has an even higher teenage pregnancy rate than England, with 43.6 conceptions per 1,000 girls in 2005, compared with 41.3. | Wales has an even higher teenage pregnancy rate than England, with 43.6 conceptions per 1,000 girls in 2005, compared with 41.3. |
| Mr Bryant said that in his constituency in 2006, almost one in 25 teenagers aged 15-19 gave birth. | Mr Bryant said that in his constituency in 2006, almost one in 25 teenagers aged 15-19 gave birth. |
| The MP said free condoms should be available in "places where young people go, aimed at cutting STIs (sexually transmitted infections) and pregnancies". | The MP said free condoms should be available in "places where young people go, aimed at cutting STIs (sexually transmitted infections) and pregnancies". |
| He argued that clinics in schools and colleges would allow students to get hold of information, advice and contraception. | He argued that clinics in schools and colleges would allow students to get hold of information, advice and contraception. |
| 'Belt and braces' | 'Belt and braces' |
| He also wants campaigns to offer more accurate contraception information, and urge the "belt and braces" approach of using both the pill and condoms. | He also wants campaigns to offer more accurate contraception information, and urge the "belt and braces" approach of using both the pill and condoms. |
| Mr Bryant also advocates that schemes allowing chemists to give out free emergency contraception should be extended across the country. | Mr Bryant also advocates that schemes allowing chemists to give out free emergency contraception should be extended across the country. |
| TEENAGE PREGNANCIES 43.6 conceptions per 1,000 teenage girls in Wales in 200541.3 conceptions per 1,000 teenage girls in England in 2005Rates peaked in 1995 - 98, but the UK has Europe's highestHalf of all conceptions under 18 occur in the UK's 20% most deprived wards27% of births to teenage girls in England and Wales were registered solely by the mother Source: Chris Bryant MP | TEENAGE PREGNANCIES 43.6 conceptions per 1,000 teenage girls in Wales in 200541.3 conceptions per 1,000 teenage girls in England in 2005Rates peaked in 1995 - 98, but the UK has Europe's highestHalf of all conceptions under 18 occur in the UK's 20% most deprived wards27% of births to teenage girls in England and Wales were registered solely by the mother Source: Chris Bryant MP |
| He cited the difficulties young people in his constituency found in getting hold of contraception. | He cited the difficulties young people in his constituency found in getting hold of contraception. |
| "When I asked a group of students at Treorchy Comprehensive School in the Rhondda what they thought was the main reason for the high number of teenage pregnancies locally, they were all critical of the local availability of contraception. | "When I asked a group of students at Treorchy Comprehensive School in the Rhondda what they thought was the main reason for the high number of teenage pregnancies locally, they were all critical of the local availability of contraception. |
| "As one boy put it, 'Maybe it's different if you live in Cardiff but it's pretty embarrassing buying condoms in the Rhondda. | "As one boy put it, 'Maybe it's different if you live in Cardiff but it's pretty embarrassing buying condoms in the Rhondda. |
| "If you go into a chemist's in Treorchy, the girl behind the counter will almost certainly know your mum." | "If you go into a chemist's in Treorchy, the girl behind the counter will almost certainly know your mum." |
| Mr Bryant said he had also been told by a teacher that a girl told her she was not trying hard because she planned to get pregnant the next year and would not be returning to school. | Mr Bryant said he had also been told by a teacher that a girl told her she was not trying hard because she planned to get pregnant the next year and would not be returning to school. |
| "The teacher tells me the girl didn't care who the father was going to be. | "The teacher tells me the girl didn't care who the father was going to be. |
| "One of the pupils echoed this, saying, 'I've heard girls say, 'I'm fed up. I'm just going to have a baby. It's easier"'. | "One of the pupils echoed this, saying, 'I've heard girls say, 'I'm fed up. I'm just going to have a baby. It's easier"'. |
| Mr Bryant said all international comparisons suggest that deprivation was "intimately linked with high rates of teenage pregnancy". | Mr Bryant said all international comparisons suggest that deprivation was "intimately linked with high rates of teenage pregnancy". |