Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with the devolved Administrations on the mandatory fortification of flour.

Departmental officials have been in regular discussions with their counterparts in each of the devolved administrations regarding the proposal to fortify flour with folic acid to help prevent neural tube defects in foetuses. The public consultation was a joint one with the devolved administrations who were equally involved in the formation of it. During the pre-election period in Westminster, preparation of the Government response was put on hold, but discussions are now continuing with the devolved administrations and further information will be announced in due course.