Call after report finds ‘nearly two-thirds of women’ in Bradford’s Pakistani community married to cousins
Philip Davies, MP for Shipley, West Yorkshire
A Conservative backbencher has called for Britain to ban first cousin marriages following a study on the health of babies.
Philip Davies, who represents Shipley in West Yorkshire, said a medical study in Bradford had found 63% of Pakistani mothers were married to cousins and within that group there was a doubling of the risk of a baby being born with a congenital anomaly.
He told the House of Commons: “The report also said a larger number of children born to cousins will have health problems that may lead to death or long term illness for the baby.
The Born in Bradford study found an increase from 3% to 6% risk of birth defects from marriages between close relatives.
In a question directed at Daniel Poulter, the health minister, he asked: “How much do the health issues from first cousin marriages cost the NHS and given these findings isn’t it time that first cousin marriages were outlawed?”
But Dr Poulter said the “key issue” was about helping women to make an informed choice prior to pregnancy and offering genetic counselling where required.
He said his office did not have financial information Mr Davies had requested and added: “[the report] clearly highlights not all babies born to couples who are related have a genetic problem.”
He continued: “The key issue here is about helping women to make an informed choice before they get pregnant and direct them to genetic counselling where that may be required.”