The mother of a Bradford schoolgirl who died while on the Pill is taking her campaign for parental rights to the Department of Health.

Jenny Bacon and her husband Tom will be among a deputation - including veteran campaigner Victoria Gillick - meeting officials from the Teenage Pregnancy Unit at the Department of Health in London tomorrow.

The couple lost their daughter, Caroline, in 1994 when she died after suffering a stroke just before her 16th birthday.

She had been prescribed the Pill at a Bradford family planning clinic 18 months earlier, without her parents' knowledge, and they believe there could be a link between her death and the fact she was taking the contraception.

They believe the law should be changed to make sure parents are involved in any decision to give contraception to youngsters.

The invitation to discuss their concerns with Department of Health officials for the first time was made after the Bacons met Home Office minister Paul Boateng in January.

Mrs Bacon, 51, of Allerton, said: "The main issue is children being given the Pill without their parents knowing about it.

"The age of consent is 16 and there are guidelines saying contraception should only be given to under-16s in exceptional circumstances but every child that goes to the clinic can get hold of them without their parents being told.

"We're saying we should have a right to know if our children are getting involved in under-age sex and getting hold of contraception.

"We want it enshrined in the law that parents have a right to know what drugs their child is being given so, along with the child, they can make an informed decision on what's best for the child.

"We're very pleased to get this meeting and hope to go on from here to eventually see Tony Blair and raise our points with him. We're forever being told by the Government that they support families but they aren't on this issue.''

Mrs Bacon said they would also be raising concerns about the possibility of the 'morning-after pill' being made available over the counter to over-16s, adding: "We're very concerned about what procedures will be put in place to make sure people are over 16.''

And she said they would be calling for a Government-backed TV health awareness campaign on sexually transmitted diseases and for health warnings to be put on Pill packets.

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