Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much the Government has spent on public health messaging for foetal alcohol spectrum disorder in each of the last five years.

No specific public health messaging on foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) has been undertaken in the last five years. However, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, NHS England and NHS Improvement and local commissioners continue to raise awareness and education on the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant. The United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines published in 2016 provide clear advice to women not to drink alcohol if they are planning for a pregnancy or are pregnant.

In 2020/21, the Department allocated £531,928 funding to five voluntary organisations to support grassroots initiatives to develop resources and training programmes for professionals and to help improve support for children and families affected by FASD.