Pregnancy: Neural Tube Defects

Baroness Walmsley Excerpts

Monday 21st December 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

My Lords, I pay tribute to the noble Lord for the extraordinary work that he has done in this field and for giving this very important and tragic issue a greater degree of public awareness. My honourable friend in the other House, Jane Ellison, the Minister for Public Health, is considering her response to the report that the noble Lord referred to and to the report by the SACN, the committee on nutrition, published on 20 October. I expect that she will come to a decision early in the new year.

[Baroness Walmsley (LD)]

My Lords, given the importance for the health of the foetus of folic acid being taken by women before they are pregnant, will the Minister work with his colleagues in the Department for Education to ensure that all young women—and young men—know the importance of taking folic acid long before they even think of becoming pregnant?

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

The noble Baroness is absolutely right. When you know you are pregnant, it is too late to start taking folic acid, and that is the fundamental reason why the noble Lord, Lord Rooker, is pushing for fortifying flour with folic acid. However, she is absolutely right that education is fundamental to this as well.