Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will work with (a) autistic people, (b) their families and (c) experts to ensure that public health messaging on autism is (i) accurate, (ii) accessible and (iii) trustworthy.

The Department recognises the importance of providing the public with accurate health information and preventing misinformation. We are also committed to working with people with lived experience of autism to ensure that policies are designed to meet the needs of autistic people and makes their lives better.

The Department regularly rebuts factual inaccuracies when they appear in traditional media and undertakes extensive planning, engagement, and strategic work to ensure accurate public health information is available on social media channels to mitigate misinformation. In addition, the Department strives to ensure that the information it publishes is accurate, clear, and accessible to a variety of audiences, including using easy read versions.