§ Ms PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the number of preventable cases of anencephaly and spina bifida caused by insufficient folic acid in the diet.
§ Mr. SackvilleThis information is not available. An expert advisory group report on folic acid and the prevention of neural tube defects, published in December 1992, confirmed evidence that women who increase their intake of folic acid when planning a pregnancy can significantly reduce the risk of having a baby with neural tube defect. A copy of the report is available in the Library.