 THERE is no 'magic bullet' solution to tackling the problem of teenage pregnancy rates in Birmingham, a senior Government minister said today. Children and Young Peoples Minister Beverley Hughes warned that unplanned teen pregnancy still "blights the prospects" of too many young people in the city. And she called for more to be done to cut teenage pregnancy rates in Birmingham, arguing that failure is not an option. The Minister was speaking on the day of the first of four regional conferences on teenage pregnancy, hosted by the Department for Children, Young People and Families. Although taking place in Manchester, it is being attended by representatives from local authorities and Primary Care Trusts across the West Midlands as well as the North West. Between 1998 and 2006, there was a drop of 8.9 per cent in teenage pregnancies across Birmingham from 58.3 per 1,000 to a provisional figure of 53.2. But this is still lagging behind the national average which has seen a reduction of more than 13 per cent. Ms Hughes said the figures showed that Birmingham was "heading in the right direction", but more needed to be done. Teenage pregnancies lead to a double disadvantage, she added, adversely affecting the well-being of both parent and child through poverty, poor health and unfulfilled potential. "This is the very opposite of what we want for our children. So we must do everything we can to prevent youngsters making choices they'll live to regret. "I want to make it absolutely clear that failure on teen pregnancy simply isn't an option." The Minister said successes in very challenging areas like parts of inner city London and Liverpool show that high teen pregnancy isn't inevitable anywhere. "There's no 'magic bullet' solution, but there is a lot we can learn from experience across the country. "So no excuses. Now's the time for really concerted action." | 
