§ Lord Alton of Liverpoolasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any of the members of the Human Genetics Advisory Commission Working Party have recommended the use of human embryos in cloning; and [HL274]
Whether any of the members of the Human Genetics Advisory Commission Working Party had made public pronouncements before their appointment in favour of experiments which destroy human embryos; if so, what they were; and whether any of the members were known in advance to be against such experiments; and [HL273]
Whether any of the members of the Human Genetics Advisory Commission Working Party have pecuniary interests in, or direct financial links with, the pharmaceutical and bio-technology industries, and, if so, what they are. [HL275]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department to Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and the Human Genetics Advisory174WA Commission (HGAC) established a joint sub-group to draft the report, Cloning Issues in Reproduction, Science and Medicine, which was approved by both bodies. Its recommendations are set out in response to the next Question.
The members of this joint sub-group were nominated by the HFEA and the HGAC on the basis of their relevant knowledge and experience. Appointments to these bodies are made in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments guidelines. The report states that one of the members of the sub-group is employed in the pharmaceutical industry.