§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the main funding headings which are used in providing grants to voluntary organisations and the changes that have taken place over the last five years.
§ Dr. MawhinneyOn 4 April last year my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced the publication of18W reflected in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. The Act makes no reference to a woman's marital or other status as a condition for receiving treatment.
In accordance with section 13(5) of the Act, a woman shall not be given treatment services unless account has been taken of the welfare of any child who may be born as a result of the treatment, including the need of that child for a father. Treatment services involving donated gametes or the creation of embryos in vitro may not be provided to a woman unless a suitable opportunity has been given to receive proper counselling about the implications of the proposed steps.
As required by the Act, a code of practice will be produced by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority which will include guidance to treatment centres on counselling and the welfare of the child. Such centres will need to comply with the provisions of the Act and will be expected to follow the code of practice guidelines. The final draft of the code of practice must be approved by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and laid before Parliament.
These and other provisions of the Act are expected to come into force on 1 August 1991.