Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the costs to the NHS of treating birth defects resulting from cousin marriage in each of the past ten years.

The Government has not carried out an assessment of the costs to the National Health Service of treating birth defects resulting from cousin marriage.

We will continue to work with the NHS as it delivers its three-year maternity and neonatal plan to grow our maternity workforce, develop a culture of safety, and ensure women and babies receive safe, personalised, and compassionate care.