|
Child Poverty Action Group is delighted that the campaign to give asylum seekers milk tokens has succeeded with the Government’s change of policy. Regulations have now been laid (www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2003/20030241.htm) and came into force on the 3 March 2003, giving additional support for pregnant women and children under 3 who are supported by National Asylum Support Service (NASS). Our campaign with Neil Gerrard MP (www.neilgerrard.co.uk) began following a call to our advice line concerning an asylum seeker mother who, due to being HIV positive, had been advised not to breast feed; but, as an asylum seeker, she was not eligible to receive milk tokens. As breastfeeding contributes substantially to the risk of HIV transmission form mother to child, CPAG argued that making provision for free milk would help safeguard against further risk of HIV transmission where mothers may feel forced to breastfeed as they cannot afford formula milk. People in receipt of income support are eligible for milk tokens during pregnancy and for a child under 5 in recognition that the level of this benefit is too low to protect maternal and infant nutrition. Prior to the Government’s change of policy following our campaign and legal challenge, an asylum seeker supported under the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) scheme, already existing on a substantially lower level of support than that of income support, also had no access to free milk provision. CPAG met with Neil Gerrard MP who tabled Early Day Motion 741 (see below) which supported our campaign in the House of Commons that was signed by over 120 cross-party MPs. In June 2002. we organised a seminar entitled ‘A Right not a Token’ at the House of Commons, in conjunction with Maternity Alliance, Positively Women, The Refugee Council and Terrence Higgins Trust (see below for briefing of the event). This event was a fundamental part of our campaign. We were encouraged when at the end of 2002 the Government announced its change of policy on this issue. The Statutory
Instrument 2003 No. 241 – The Asylum Support (Amendment)
Regulations 2003 (www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2003/20030241.htm)
have now been laid and give the following extra support to asylum
seekers:
This is great news and a success for the campaign as the new regulations will affect all asylum seekers, not just those who are HIV positive. Whilst we welcome the Government’s change of position, it still treats asylum seekers less favourably than others. Although the Government has always stated that support for children of asylum seekers is the same as that provided under income support, as compared with the lower rates of support for adult asylum seekers, the new additional support for asylum seekers only applies to children up to the age of 3 (see table above) whereas milk token support for all others applies to children up to the age of 5. We will continue to lobby on this point and other related matters. We are grateful to all of those that have supported the successful campaign and hope they will continue with us to fight for equal rights for asylum seekers. Our grateful thanks go once again to Neil Gerrard MP and our colleagues at Maternity Alliance, Positively Women, Refugee Council and Terrence Higgins Trust. Further information
For
more information contact:
|
|||||||
Asylum
seekers milk tokens success
Top of Page
Send Comments to CPAG