Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with (a) the Royal College of Nursing and (b) other health bodies on the risks to pregnant women of taking sodium valproate.

The Department and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have held extensive discussions and communications with Royal Colleges involved in prescribing and dispensing of valproate, professional bodies, health organisations, patient groups and relevant charities to inform the development and dissemination of materials to aid communication between health professionals and women and girls on the risks of valproate in pregnancy. The Royal College of Nursing has been made aware of the matter as part of our communications. Further work is ongoing with stakeholders to monitor the effectiveness of the action taken.