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Written question asked by Luke Evans (Conservative) on Friday, 28 August 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. It was answered by Jake Richards (Labour) on Tuesday, 8 September 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

Marriage: Relatives

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent conversations he has had with health bodies on the increased risk of congenital birth defects to children whose parents are first cousins.

Answer

The Government does not collect data on the prevalence of first cousin marriage. The evidence referenced in WPQ 16079 relates to longitudinal research from the Born in Bradford programme which shows that rates of consanguineous relationships have fallen substantially over time.

As a matter of course, officials at the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Health and Social Care work collaboratively on the topic of cousin marriage, including on the risk of congenital birth defects posed to children of closely related parents.

We recognise the serious concerns that have been raised on this issue. As any responsible Government would do, we will be considering all options on how to tackle first cousin marriage.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
21876
Session
2026-27
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Children Congenital abnormalities Marriage Relatives
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk