Tom Brake backs 'Tiny Lives' Campaign.

3.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 15th Aug 2008

Tom Brake MP for Carshalton and Wallington has signed up to The Tiny Lives Charter - a cross party call to tackle the issues of premature birth.

The STAND UP for Tiny Lives Campaign was launched by the charity Action Medical Research and represents leading doctors, nurses, midwives and parents who are calling for the development of the UK's first 10-year National Research Strategy to improve understanding of the causes of premature birth in order that more babies can be born healthy.

Every week in the UK more than 25 babies will die as a result of premature birth. and in 2006 there were 237 premature births (babies that were born under 36 weeks) at St Helier hospital.

After signing up to the charter, Tom Brake said that 'I find it shocking that 25 babies a week die as a result of premature birth. It is time for politicians from across the political spectrum to come together to tackle this issue and this report represents an important step in this process.'