Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the guidance on the Down Syndrome Act 2022 will be published; and what steps they have taken to protect the legal rights of those with Down syndrome until the publication of the guidance.

The consultation on the draft statutory guidance under the Down Syndrome Act 2022 closed on 30 March 2026. The Government is required to carefully consider the responses received to inform the final guidance to be published.

In the meantime, relevant authorities remain bound by existing legal duties. The act brings together existing statutory requirements and guidance that relevant authorities must and/or should already comply with to support people with Down syndrome.

Under the Equality Act 2010, health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure disabled people are not disadvantaged and must have due to regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty when exercising their functions. NHS England statutory guidance, published on 9 May 2023, also states that every integrated care board (ICB) should identify a board member to lead on supporting the ICB to perform its functions effectively in the interest of people with Down syndrome.