Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve breastfeeding support in (a) the east of England and (b) England.

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever and giving every child the best start in life. We know breastfeeding has significant health benefits for babies and for their mothers.

Through the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, we are investing £18.5 million in 2025/26 to improve infant feeding support across 75 local authorities in England, including Bedford, Luton, Norfolk, Peterborough, and Thurrock in the East of England. We have also extended and expanded the National Breastfeeding Helpline so that more families across the United Kingdom can access breastfeeding support 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Most families will be receiving their breastfeeding support from midwives and health visitors. We are committed to strengthening these services and are already making progress.