Conception to Age 2: the First 1001 Days

A backbench business debate on a motion relating to conception to age 2, the first 1001 days will be held in the Commons Chamber on Thursday 17 December 2015. This debate has been scheduled following a bid by Tim Loughton and Liz Saville Roberts. Their bid to the Backbench Business Committee may be heard on parliamentlive.tv

The debate will be opened by Tim Loughton.

The text of the motion is:

• That this House calls on the Government to consider the adoption of the recommendations in the cross-party manifesto entitled ‘The 1001 Critical Days, the importance of the conception to age 2 period’.

The proceedings of this debate may be watched on parliamentlive.tv

This debate will take place in the same week as the relaunch of The 1001 Critical Days Manifesto – a document which when originally launched in 2013 had cross party support from a number of MPs representing eight of the political parties with MPs in Westminster.

The 1001 Critical Days Manifesto

Originally launched at four party political conferences in October 2013, and then relaunched in Parliament on 14 December 2015, The 1001 Critical Days Manifesto is, ‘a vision for the provision of services in the UK for the early years period, which puts forward the moral, scientific and economic case for the importance of the conception to age 2 period.’

The document enjoys cross-party support and is currently represented in Parliament by the following Members:

• Frank Field (Labour)
• Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrats)
• Caroline Lucas (Green Party)
• Tim Loughton (Conservatives)
• Mark Durkan (SDLP)
• Phillipa Whitford (SNP)
• Jim Shannon (DUP)
• Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru)

The manifesto can be downloaded from the 1001 Critical Days website: http://www.1001criticaldays.co.uk/

In February 2015, the group published their report, Building Great Britons, which considered the relationship between perinatal mental health and child maltreatment. Focusing on early intervention and primary prevention in the early years of a child’s life, the report made nine recommendations for improving early years development.

Debate packs are intended to provide a summary or overview of the issues being debated and identify any relevant briefings including press and parliamentary material. A more detailed briefing may be prepared for a Member on request to the Library.