Foetal Tissue

HC Deb 14 June 1988 vol 135 cc176-8W

Mr. Amos

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) pursuant to the reply of 7 June,Official Report, column 557, whether the women whose foetuses were to be used to provide material which might be passed on for transplant use were told the specific purpose for which such material would be used; and if he will make a statement;

(2) pursuant to the reply of 7 June, Official Report, column 557, if he will identify the abortion centre to which he refers from which human foetal tissue was made available for transplant purposes.

Mr. Newton

It is not appropriate to identify the home involved, in view of the need to safeguard confidentiality for individual patients. However all women undergoing abortion at the home whose foetuses may be used to provide material for research purposes are invited to sign a declaration to the effect that they have no special wishes concerning the disposal of material arising from their pregnancy. Information about the specific purpose for which material might be used is given if requested. The home does not hold records to show whether such additional information was requested in these particular cases.

Mr. Amos

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply of 7 June,Official Report, column 557, if he will seek to make available through the Library copies of the minutes of the meetings at which the local ethical committees which gave permission for the use of foetal tissue in transplant operations undertook the careful and prolonged consideration of the issue to which he refers.

Mr. Newton

Minutes of local ethical committees are not held centrally. Local ethical committees are responsible to the relevant district health authority and my hon. Friend may like to approach Sandwell district health authority direct.

Mr. Amos

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply of 7 June,Official Report, column 557, if he will list, indicating the nature of the involvement in each case, all the personnel of the Birmingham university medical centre who were involved in the transplanting of human foetal tissue to which he refers.

Mr. Newton

This information is not held centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to approach the Birmingham university medical centre direct.