Vegans have accused the NHS of “discrimination” because its scheme giving free milk to new mothers does not include soya or almond variants.

The Vegan Society has urged the health service to overhaul its Healthy Start programme to include vegan-friendly milks and vitamins.

The initiative offers vouchers to families and pregnant women on benefits that can be exchanged for milk, vitamins and fruit and vegetables.

But parents are restricted to buying plain cow's milk that is whole, semi-skimmed or skimmed.

Milk substitutes such as almond or soya milk cannot be purchased.

Now, the Vegan Society has written to NHS officials saying the scheme, for children up to the age of four, is discriminatory.

The letter said: "The convictions of vegans come within the protection of the law and, on the face of it, it appears that the Healthy Start voucher scheme could be inadvertently discriminatory."

It added: "It is important for everyone to eat calcium-rich foods daily and fortified plant-based milk plays an important role in vegan nutrition.

"In fact, the UK's Eatwell Guide recognises that fortified plant-based milk represents a valuable alternative to cows' milk.

"Calcium content is comparable and the soya variety is similar to cow's milk in terms of protein quantity and quality.