Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department makes available to families who are supporting relatives with Huntington's disease.

The Government published the UK Strategy for Rare Diseases in November 2013. The Strategy is signed up to by the four home countries of the United Kingdom. The Strategy contains 51 high level commitments which comprise a long term strategic vision for improving the lives of all those with rare diseases. The focus throughout is patients and their families.

The UK Strategy includes commitments to empower those affected by rare diseases including making sure that patients and their families have a say in decisions about treatment and in the planning, evaluation and monitoring of services.

The Strategy also recognises the important role played by patient organisations such as the Huntington’s Disease Association in the provision of support, information and advice and helping patients and their families feel less isolated.