Teenage pregnancy target missed

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The Department of Health's annual report concluded that "progress needs to accelerate", with the cut in the rate of conceiving under-18s so far reduced by only 11.4% since 1999.

Although that is the lowest for more than two decades, the total number of pregnancies is up and the UK now has the highest rate in Western Europe.

Critics said the admission of "slippage" in meeting the target was evidence that the Government's strategy was failing.

Norman Wells, of the Family Education Trust charity, said ministers had overseen the "systematic removal of every restraint that used to act as a disincentive to under-age sex".

"The problems associated with teenage pregnancy will never be solved so long as the Government persists with its reliance on yet more contraception and sex education," he told the Sunday Telegraph.

The Government came under fire from some campaigners earlier this month when it announced plans to make the Pill available without direct authorisation of a doctor. An interview with a qualified pharmacist would be sufficient to obtain the oral contraceptive.

A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families, which is jointly responsible for the target, said: "Our Teenage Pregnancy Strategy is working - teenage pregnancy rates are at their lowest for 20 years. We made a commitment to reduce the teenage conception rates and to improve the quality of life for all young people, and we are already delivering on that.

"However, we make no apology for setting stretching targets and will be redoubling our efforts to continue to reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy by 2010."