Ex-minister attacks teenage pregnancy plans

Hilary Armstrong, who was minister for social exclusion at the Cabinet Office, said in Parliament that she is concerned not enough is being done locally to prevent first pregnancies.

"In my experience, too many strategies concentrate on young girls' second pregnancies, and we want to ensure the first baby is prevented," she said.

The latest government advice on teenage pregnancy, Teenage Pregnancy Next Steps: Guidance for Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts, placed a strong emphasis on working with young parents to reduce the likelihood of second pregnancies.

The guidance was issued in July 2007, and Armstrong would have been closely involved in its production. She stepped down from her ministerial post in June.

In response Armstrong's comments, children's minister Beverley Hughes said: "My right honourable friend is expert is this area because she spent a lot of time in her previous position striving for progress.

"She is absolutely right; about 80 per cent of teenage pregnancies involve first time mothers. However, it is also important that we address second pregnancies because it is a really serious failure when 20 per cent of teenage pregnancies are second or subsequent pregnancies involving young women who are still teenagers."