To ask the Minister of Finance to detail whether the forthcoming Baby Loss Certificate Scheme will include provision for data collection, to support public health policy.

As part of the development of the Baby Loss Certificate Scheme my officials in the General Register Office (GRO) are considering the possibility of other potential uses for the data collected as part of the application process. To better understand how those who have experienced baby loss would feel about the question of the retention and wider use of their data it was included in the recently completed public consultation exercise.

My officials are currently analysing the responses to the consultation, the findings of which I will publish as soon as possible. Once this is complete, I will reconsider the question of other possible data uses in more detail.