Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by UNICEF's Executive Director at the meeting marking the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the International Code of Marketing Breastmilk Substitutes on 21 May, what steps they plan to take (1) with international partners, and (2) through the direction of Overseas Development Assistance, (a) to end the marketing of such substitutes to new parents, and (b) to promote breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding plays an important role in boosting children's immune systems, and protecting them from malnutrition and disease. This is of particular importance in developing countries, where safe use of infant formula is often not possible. As part of the government's commitment to ending the preventable deaths of mothers, newborns, and children, the FCDO will continue to ensure that Overseas Development Assistance contributes to improved breastfeeding and safe infant feeding through our health and humanitarian programmes. This includes working with UNICEF to ensure breastfeeding promotion and support is provided in countries with high levels of child wasting.

In addition, we are supporting the Access to Nutrition Initiative in holding manufacturers of breast milk substitutes to account for their marketing practices, encouraging companies to fully comply with the Code. We have also worked with the Government of Japan, civil society, and other donors to define Principles of Engagement for the 2021 Nutrition for Growth Summit. These will prohibit the involvement of companies that violate the code at the December Summit.