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GLOSSOP MP Tom Levitt.
MP in Wimbledon tickets furore
Sue Carr23/11/2005
GLOSSOP MP Tom Levitt has been criticised for accepting tickets to Wimbledon from Nestle - criticised for 'aggressive' marketing of baby milk to the developing world.
Mr Levitt is parliamentary private secretary to international development secretary Hilary Benn.
Mr Levitt accepted centre court tickets and hospitality at Wimbledon this summer for himself and his wife.
The company - the world's largest powdered baby-milk provider - has been widely criticised for its alleged 'aggressive and unethical' marketing of baby foods around the world.
UNICEF says anything which undermines breastfeeding in the developing world is 'potentially hazardous' and says 1.5m children die each year because they are not adequately breastfed.
Campaign group Baby Milk Action claims Nestle - currently boycotted by 20 countries - still does not conform to the marketing requirements laid out by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The group won a victory in 1999 when the UK Advertising Standards Authority upheld its complaints that an advertisement in which Nestle claimed to market infant formula 'ethically and responsibly' did not stand up to scrutiny.
Mike Brady, campaign and network co-ordinator for Baby Milk Action, claimed: "Independent evidence including recent monitoring in 69 countries finds Nestle violates international standards for the marketing of baby foods.
"It's a shame that Mr Levitt is apparently being convinced by it, but we would be very happy to speak to him and provide him with documentary evidence of Nestle's aggressive marketing campaigns."
But Mr Levitt said: "What they are talking about is a particular marketing campaign 20 or 30 years ago. Since then there is a code of practice for selling baby milk formula and Nestle has been conforming to it for many years.
"I have spoken to them about this and they have shown me evidence that third parties have independently assessed their practices and have said they are well within the guidelines."
He added: "With the present situation with Aids, there are now more mothers who cannot breastfeed, so there is more of a need in some cases for developing countries to have powder.
"Also Nestle do a lot of work with the third world and are absolutely key to the economy of many African countries."
Nestle - owners of Buxton Water - confirmed it had invited a number of MPs to Wimbledon.
A spokesperson said: "Nestle universally follows all countries' implementation of the WHO code.
"In developed countries, Nestle follows national regulations and laws implementing the WHO code. In developing countries, Nestle voluntarily adopts the WHO code as a minimum standard.
"We believe breastfeeding is the best way to feed a baby and actively promote this fact.
"We also believe that when mothers cannot or choose not to breastfeed, they have a right to safe, nutritious, infant formula for their babies."
Details of the hospitality are contained in the latest edition of the Register of MPs' interests released by the House of Commons.
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24/11/2005 at 10:36