To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of children with milk allergies; and what steps he is taking to reduce that number.

The prevalence of cow’s milk allergy is estimated to be between 2 and 3% in children during the first year of life.

The Food Standards Agency is currently funding a number of research projects investigating the causes and mechanisms that underlie the development of food allergies in children (including cow’s milk allergy). This includes the Enquiry about Tolerance (EAT) study and a systematic literature review on infant feeding and the development of food allergic disease. The results of these research projects will be reviewed by Government Scientific Advisory Committees.

Through this we will identify the factors that may influence the development of food allergic disease in children (including cow’s milk allergy) to inform future preventative strategies and advice to consumers.

The results of this research are expected, to be published in 2016.