Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with clinical bodies on potential links between moderate alcohol consumption and levels of (a) heart disease and (b) breast cancer.

Departmental officials have regular discussions with individuals and organisations, including clinical bodies, in which a wide range of topics are discussed. There have been no meetings specifically to discuss the potential links between moderate alcohol consumption and levels of heart disease and breast cancer.

However, the UK Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) have made an assessment of the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on cardiovascular disease and breast cancer as part of their review of the alcohol guidelines.

The advice that the UK CMOs give on how the public can limit their risks from drinking alcohol can be found at Gov.uk at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/health-risks-from-alcohol-new-guidelines