All-Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health

The majority of these papers are those of Dilys Cossey, the Group's Research and Information Officer. They date predominantly from c.1978-1991 and include agendas and circulated papers of Group and Committee meetings and files relating to the organisation of meetings and other events. In addition, there are papers relating to the attendance of Group members at international meetings and correspondence with other organisations, notably the United Nations Fund for Population Activities.

Also included are a few stray papers, dating back to 1968, of the Labour politician Lord Houghton of Sowerby (1898-1996) who was a founder-member of the Group. These relate to his wider interests, including family allowances and abortion.

1968-1997

12 boxes

These papers were acquired from the Bith Control Trust in 1999 at the same time as records of the Trust itself, and those of the Birth Control Campaign and CO-ORD, the Co-ordinating Campaign for the Defence of the 1967 Abortion Act.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health was set up in 1978 as the British Parliamentary Group on Population and Development, one of the first UK All-Party Parliamentary Groups to be established. Its main aim was to increase awareness among parliamentarians of the long-term implications of world population growth. At the time of its foundation, the MPs Kenneth Baker and Betty Boothroyd were joint secretaries and its chairman was Lord Houghton. Membership was open to members of both Houses and its organising Committee likewise included cross-House and cross-party representation. It added "Reproductive Health" to its title in March 1994.

Initially the Group concentrated principally on the place of population projects in the UK government's overseas development programme and on securing adequate funding for these from the aid budget. It also took an interest in domestic population issues and, during the 1990s, began to pay increasing attention to whether those in the UK had access to high-quality reproductive and sexual health care information and provision.

It held regular open meetings for parliamentarians of both Houses, with a wide range of guest speakers from the UK and abroad, and hosted receptions and other events for invited guests. In addition, public and private briefing meetings were organised for group members with representatives of organisations active in the field. Study tours to developing countries were also arranged and members attended international meetings and conferences in order to maintain links with other parliamentary groups and organisations worldwide.

The Group was part of a nexus of closely linked organisations. When it was established in 1978 the Birth Control Trust, the fund-raising arm of the Family Planning Association, agreed to make available the services of a Research and Information Officer, Dilys Cossey, and an initial grant was acquired from Population Concern. Grants were acquired in subsequent years from the George Cadbury Trust, Population Concern, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Marie Stopes International, the Simon Population Trust, and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, amongst others.

At Wellcome Collection: the papers of related organisations including the Birth Control Trust (SA/BCT), the Family Planning Association (SA/FPA), Population Concern (SA/POP), the Birth Control Campaign (SA/BCC) and CO-ORD (SA/CCD).