§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have been conceived in licensed assisted conception units using donated gametes; how many children have been unable to receive information on their genetic origins since July when donor anonymity was to have been lifted; how many children were made the subject of an adoption order and a Section 30 parental order since July; and when the Government will announce its conclusions on donor anonymity. [143358]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonNearly 25,000 children have been conceived in licensed assisted conception units as a result of treatment using donated gametes and embryos since August 1991, when the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's register of such births began. After a public consultation exercise in 2002, we announced in January 2003 that we would carry out a further programme of work on the possibility of providing of identifying information about future sperm, egg and embryo donors, and make a further announcement after that. We expect to make a decision on this shortly.
In the region of 800 children have been born as a result of licensed infertility treatment using donated gametes or embryos since 1 July 2003. Over that period, the Registrar General has received 2,336 adoption orders and 27 parental orders under section 30 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990.