Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the health effects of consanguineous marriages; and what steps he is taking to reduce them.

The NHS Born in Bradford study found that although most babies born to a couple who are related do not have a genetic problem, consanguineous marriage can increase the risk of birth defect from 3% to 6%. Further information is available on the Born in Bradford website at:

http://www.borninbradford.nhs.uk/parentstudies/130/StudyDetails/studies-into-the-impact-of-congenital-anomalies-on-health/

It is important that antenatal, paediatric and genetic services work with communities to improve awareness of the risk of consanguineous marriage. Local commissioners are best placed to determine whether action is needed in their area. To support clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), NHS England published in February 2014, Our Ambition to Reduce Premature Mortality: A resource to support commissioners in setting a level of ambition. In line with the document, CCGs may wish to consider investment in community-based health champions and communication campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the implications of genetic inheritance alongside community based access to genetic counselling and family planning services and enhanced diagnostic services.

A copy of the resource document is available on the NHS England website at:

http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/mort-res-22-5.pdf