§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what studies are being undertaken in the field of interspecies fertilisation as appear in the guidelines laid down by the Medical Research Council in its statement on human fertilisation and embryology in 1982; what species are involved; and what is the purpose of the studies.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe understand that interspecies fertilisation usually involves hamster eggs. It is used as a 75W diagnostic test at some centres specialising in the investigation and treatment of men with infertility, to assist in the identification of those who have some prospect of fathering a child. We do not have information about the numbers of diagnostic tests and research studies involving this procedure centrally.