MP calls for action after allergy death in school

An MP said the government could "no longer hide behind" the inquest into the death of a five-year-old boy and has called for "urgent action" to be taken to ensure children with allergies feel safe at school.

Benedict Blythe, from Stamford, Lincolnshire, died after accidental exposure to an allergen - cow's milk protein - at Barnack Primary School in December 2021.

Alicia Kearns, the MP for Rutland and Stamford, said she would "do everything in my power to protect" children with allergies in Benedict's memory after an inquest jury found staff did not follow all the measures in place to prevent the reaction.

The Department for Education said it would "consider the jury's conclusions carefully".

On Wednesday, the inquest jury at Peterborough Town Hall also found there were risks of contamination with other milk and delays in administering an adrenalin pen.

The Conservative MP's comments comes after Benedict's family called for a new law to make it compulsory for all schools to have spare allergy pens, allergy-trained staff, and a school allergy policy.

Benedict's mother, Helen Blythe, said introducing Benedict's Law was an "opportunity for government to learn and introduce measures to stop this happening in future."

Posting on social media, Kearns wrote: "I can only offer my deepest condolences, and my relief they [family] finally have the answers they deserved and were denied for too long.

"No parent should worry their child won't come home from school, and I will do everything in my power to protect them in Benedict's memory," she added.

On Wednesday, the Labour MP for Redditch, Chris Bloore, introduced a private members' bill calling for allergy safety training in schools.

He told the Commons: "With an ever-growing number of children requiring allergy care, it has never been more vital that the place we entrust with the care of our children - the school where we drop them off every day - is a safe and secure environment."

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "What happened to Benedict was a tragedy for his family and deeply affected all those involved on the day that he died."

In a statement, the school said it offered "its sincere and heartfelt condolences to Benedict's family".

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