Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the Government issuing an official apology to people affected by forced adoptions.

This abhorrent practice should never have taken place, and our deepest sympathies are with all those affected.

The government takes this issue extremely seriously and continues to engage with those affected to provide support.

The department continues to follow up on the 2022 Joint Committee on Human Rights report, including improving access to adoption records, enhancing intermediary services and preserving historical records.