Milk Tokens

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

 

I just sent this email to an MP who may be sympathetic on an issue of

great importance to vegan families.

Would anyone else like to write to either Hazel Blears (MP for

Salford) or their own MP on this matter?

We may even have the law on our side now, with the new anti-

discrimination Human Rights Act in force, meaning the Government is

possibly breaking its own law!

Does anyone in the situation of receiving milk tokens feel inspired

to take legal advice and possibly take a test case against the

Government on this?

We would do it ourselves but have never been entitled to them,

fortunately for us, but unfortunately in terms of us not having the

opportunity to take a stand for vegans on this.

 

Lesley

 

 

 

 

Lesley Dove [100706.3632]

19 December 2000 18:23

feedback

Milk tokens

 

 

 

Dear Hazel Blears,

 

I read about you in this interesting article on women in Parliament,

by Fiona Mactaggart M.P.

 

http://www.fabian-

society.org.uk/freethinking/texts/womeninparliament.html

 

She says in the article:

 

" Hazel Blears persuaded ministers to allow milk tokens to be used to

purchase Kosher milk "

 

I was very interested and I did a search on Hansard but couldn't find

the discussion on milk tokens.

I wonder if you could direct me to it?

 

On the same issue, have you ever thought of trying to persuade

ministers to allow milk tokens to be used to purchase non-dairy

alternatives, such as Farley's soya formula for bottle-fed babies, or

soya or rice milk for older children and breast-feeding mothers?

 

Are you aware that vegan families on income support are being

punished for being vegan by not being allowed to use their milk

tokens?

 

This is tantamount to religious discrimination, because ethical

vegans have beliefs which are as strongly felt as religious beliefs.

We don't have to have a specific belief in God to have strong moral

beliefs, and I would like to know why the Government does not equally

respect ethical vegans' beliefs in the same way as so many other

minority groups are accommodated and respected in Government policies?

 

Is this discriminatory policy on milk tokens not contrary to the

Human Rights Act, which as I understand it, now guarantees non-

discrimination on the grounds of beliefs?

 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Lesley Dove