To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the incidence of birth defects in consanguineous marriages; how many representations he has received about the number of birth defects in consanguineous marriages in the last six months; and if he will make a statement. (194437)

Information on the number of birth defects in consanguineous marriages is not collected centrally. The Department’s correspondence unit has no record of any representations on birth defects from consanguineous marriages this year.