HL Deb 16 July 2003 vol 651 cc131-2WA
Lord Lucas

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the average degrees of consanguinity between brother and half-sister, and that between blood uncle and niece, are identical. [HL3471]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner)

The average degree of consanguinity between brother and half-sister is equivalent to that between blood uncle and niece. In both cases, on average the two related individuals will have one quarter of their genes in common.