HL Deb 24 January 1990 vol 514 cc1157-8WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In how many laboratories in the United Kingdom is the fertilisation of human cells in vitro carried out, distinguishing between those within the National Health Service or the Medical Research Council and those under commercial management.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Hooper)

This information is not available centrally. Some information on these matters is published in the annual reports of the Interim Licensing Authority (copies of which are available in the Library). The authority was established by the Medical Research Council and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether there is currently any control exercised over human embryos produced in vitro for transfer into a patient and if so how this control is exercised, and at whose expense; and

Whether it is currently lawful for a women donating ova for research, or for research into in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or for IVF (donor) embryo transplant to be paid or recompensed in any way for the ova, or for her agreement to their use; and

Whether the fertilisation of human cells in vitro is currently a notifiable procedure.

Baroness Hooper

These procedures are not at present controlled by legislation. The Government have introduced the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, which provides for licensing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and egg and embryo donation. The Interim Licensing Authority (ILA), which was established by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist (RCOG), currently approves centres which carry out IVF and egg and embryo donation. The ILA receives funding from the MRC, the RCOG and the Department of Health.