Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase research into the effect of alcohol on (a) pregnant women and (b) their unborn babies.

The Department is considering future research in this area and how improvements to the data collected can be made. The Department funds and commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the effect of alcohol on pregnant women and unborn babies. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. The NIHR is currently funding research to improve support for midwifes to discuss harms of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

The United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ (CMOs) low risk drinking guidelines provide advice to women not to drink alcohol if they are planning for a pregnancy or are pregnant. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, NHS England and local commissioners continue to raise awareness and education on the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant and through midwives and health visitors. The Maternity Transformation Programme works with the Royal Colleges and regulatory bodies to raise the profile of the CMOs’ guidelines and recommend it is included in training. The alcohol calorie consultation will seek views on whether the provision of the UK CMOs’ low risk drinking guidelines, including a pregnancy warning, should be mandatory or continue on a voluntary basis.