HC Deb 23 October 1989 vol 158 cc312-3W
Ms. Harman

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many district health authorities provide dedicated infertility clinics;

(2) if he will list private clinics in each region which offer in vitro fertilisation;

(3) if he will list those private clinics, in each region, which offer artificial insemination by donor or husband;

(4) in which regions an in vitro fertilisation service is provided;

(5) which health authorities (a) provide a service for artificial insemination by donor or by husband and (b) do not.

Mr. Mellor

We do not hold this information centrally.

Ms. Harman

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue guidance to district health authorities to establish dedicated infertility clinics.

Mr. Mellor

No. Decisions about the priority and resources to be given to infertility services should be left to individual health authorities. This is the case with nearly all NHS services, since health authorities are in the best position to determine priorities in the light of local needs and circumstances.

Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he intends to introduce legislation which will require married couples, partners or unmarrid women to go through strict vetting procedures, similar to those carried out prior to adoption, before treatment by artificial insemination;

(2) whether he has any proposals for regulations to cover full and extensive medical examination of would-be donors of sperm for artificial insemination.

Mr. Mellor

[holding answer 19 October 1989]: The Government's proposals for the regulation of certain infertility treatments, including artificial insemination by donor, were set out in the White Paper "Human Fertilisation and Embryology: A Framework for Legislation". We intend to introduce legislation to deal with these matters at the earliest opportunity.