NATIONAL COT DEATH WEEK

That this House congratulates the Scottish Cot Death Trust and the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths on National Cot Death Appeal Week; draws attention to the fact that on average one baby dies a week in Scotland of cot death and in 1997 469 babies died in the United Kingdom as a whole; notes that twice as many boys die as girls, that second and later-born infants are more at risk than first-born, and that pre-term, low birthweight babies are more likely to die; and calls on the Government to provide funding for research based on a confidential case review in all instances of infant death with matched controls to build on the knowledge gained during the inquiry run with the Department of Health from 1993 to 1996, and to implement moves to raise public awareness of measures that reduce the risk of cot death through continuing public education and support for GPs and health visitors.