§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what volumes of blood and blood products have been imported for (a) the National Health Service and (b) the private health sector for each year since 1975; what were the origins of these imports; and when he expects the United Kingdom to achieve self-sufficiency in blood and blood products.
§ Mr. WhitneyThis country is already self-sufficient in its needs for blood. It is believed that blood itself has not been imported for use in either the National Health Service or the private sector for many years.
As regards blood products, the information is not available in the form requested. Records are not kept centrally of the volumes of blood products imported their origins or destinations.
Scotland and Northern Ireland are already self-sufficient through the manufacturing capability of the protein fractionation centre, Liberton. The redevelopment of the blood products laboratory at Elstree is intended to meet the full needs of England and Wales. This redevelopment is expected to achieve full production by the end of 1986.