Conduct Of Ministers And Cot Deaths

EDM number 16 in 1994-95, proposed by Nigel Griffiths on 16/11/1994.

That this House notes with dismay the failure of the Secretary of State for Health, the honourable Member for Mid Worcestershire and the Right honourable Member for Kettering and Chief Medical Officer Kenneth Calman to adequately investigate the research of Barry Richardson into poisonous gases from fire retardant mattresses causing cot deaths; believes this has wasted five years and resulted in unnecessary infant deaths; regrets their failure to involve him on Professor Turner's independent expert group or provide any funding for his research; deplores the incompetence of the Turner group in failing to carry out blood and tissue tests on cot death babies and corroborate Mr Richardson's findings; notes that since 1950 when fire retardants were introduced to mattresses unexplained infant deaths have risen 20 fold; notes that sudden infant death syndrome is unknown in Japan, where futon mattresses are not treated with flame retardant chemicals of the United Kingdom type; notes that mattress manufacturers cut costs by using antimony and phosphorous compounds as fire retardants; notes that following Mr Richardson's advice Mothercare stopped selling such mattresses; questions how the previous Chief Medical Officer rejected Mr Richardson's advice on avoiding the prone position; calls for an independent inquiry into the incompetence of the Government in investigating the causes of cot deaths, and to take immediate action to alert parents to Mr Richardson's findings; congratulates the Cook Report for highlighting this; and believes the resignations of those responsible should follow immediately.

This motion has been signed by a total of 67 MPs, 2 of these signatures have been withdrawn.