Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her department has made of the potential impact of not knowing the medical history of patients who have been adopted on those people.

The government recognises the importance of ensuring that clinicians can take account of the impact of adoption where relevant.

Alongside the government’s apology on 2 July 2026 for historic forced adoption practices in England, the government committed to work with NHS England to explore how patients who wish to do so can have their experience of adoption appropriately recorded in their health record. This, alongside practical tools and guidance to support improved understanding of adoption-related needs, will support clinicians to take this into account in relation to care, family history, and wider support needs. This includes improving how clinicians respond where family medical history is unknown, including through clearer guidance on screening referrals and the use of genetic services where appropriate.