Question follow-through · 21876

Marriage: Relatives

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent conversations he has had with health bodies on the increased risk of congenital birth defects to children whose parents are first cousins.

answeredMinistry of Justice

About this written question

A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.

Answering body: Ministry of Justice
Tabled: 28 Aug 2026
Target answer date: 2 Sept 2026
Answer: 8 Sept 2026 · 11 calendar days after tabling

Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.

Votes on this topic

Opposition Day: Early release of prisoners · 7 Jul 2026

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Recorded timeline

28 Aug 2026
Question tabled
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent conversations he has had with health bodies on the increased risk of congenital birth defects to children whose parents are first cousins.
2 Sept 2026
Target answer date
Date supplied by the official written-questions record.
8 Sept 2026
Answer published
The Government does not collect data on the prevalence of first cousin marriage. The evidence referenced in WPQ 16079 relates to longitudinal research from the Born in Bradford programme which shows that rates of consanguineous relationships have fallen s...

Open official record

Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.

Later records

Possible follow-up questions

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Strong linkSame MP, department and exact heading