Ministerial foreword: proposal to add folic acid to flour
Updated 21 September 2021
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Each year in the UK, around 1,000 pregnancies are affected by life-changing neural tube defects.
These birth defects occur when parts of the spinal cord do not develop properly and can affect the brain, spine and spinal cord. Some of these cases can be fatal and many lead to lifelong health complications for the child.
There is strong evidence that many neural tube defects can be prevented by increasing women’s intake of folic acid.
Recent evidence raises concern as fewer and fewer women are meeting the recommended levels from their diet alone.
Existing advice for women who are trying to conceive, or likely to become pregnant, is to take a daily supplement of folic acid. However, we know that around half of UK pregnancies are unplanned.
This has led to calls to fortify flour with folic acid. Fortification is seen as the most effective way of reaching those with the lowest intakes, typically younger women from deprived areas.
As the ministers and Permanent Secretary responsible for public health across the 4 nations, we all want to take action to help prevent the unnecessary risk to the health of newborns.
We have come together to deliver this consultation jointly because any action taken will affect industries that operate across the whole of the UK.
We hope that members of the public and third sector organisations as well as industry and the scientific community respond.
We will consider all views to ensure any action taken will ensure maximum health benefits while avoiding any negative impact.
We thank you in advance for your responses.
Signed by
Seema Kennedy, Member of Parliament, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health (Public Health and Primary Care)
Vaughan Gething, Assembly Member for Wales, Minister for Health and Social Services
Joe FitzPatrick, Member of Scottish Parliament, Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing
Richard Pengelly, Permanent Secretary for the Department of Health, Northern Ireland