Dewsbury and Batley MP calls for action on Yorkshire’s infant-mortality ‘postcode lottery’

Speaking during the bill’s second reading in the House of Commons on September 4, Mr Mohamed told MPs that infant mortality in Yorkshire and the Humber stands at 5.1 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared with a national average of 3.9, linking unequal outcomes to poverty, poor housing, long waits, language and cultural barriers, and difficulties accessing healthcare.

Mr Mohamed said: “This is a postcode lottery and we must do all we can to eradicate it.”

The MP told the House that there were reports of individual professionals in Kirklees facing caseloads of almost 1,000 families and warned that services cannot provide families with the support they need without sufficient resources.

He welcomed the re-opening of the Brontë Birth Centre at Dewsbury and District Hospital after a two-year closure caused by staff shortages, describing its work as “absolutely fantastic”.

He also marked the hospital’s 150th anniversary and paid tribute to generations of local NHS staff.

Mr Mohamed said the annual reporting required by the bill must become a catalyst for improvement, with Parliament examining whether outcomes are getting better for children from disadvantaged and ethnic-minority backgrounds.

The bill passed second reading without a division and has now been committed to a Public Bill Committee. It is not yet law and does not itself guarantee a fixed list of services or a particular level of funding for Kirklees.

Sir Desmond Swayne MP, sponsor of the Babies Bill, said: “The House of Commons has sent a clear message that supporting babies and families is a shared national responsibility.

“This practical bill would strengthen existing services by requiring the Government to understand need, work towards appropriate provision and report to Parliament.

“I am grateful to colleagues across the House for helping it reach this important milestone.”