§ Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to prohibit payment for donations of human organs, blood and plasma in the United Kingdom; and if he has any plans to restrict the processing and distribution of such donations to a publicly controlled agency within the National Health Service.
§ Mr. FreemanOur donors give blood and plasma freely, and have always done so. The Government are committed to maintaining this principle of voluntary and unpaid donation. There are certainly no plans to privatise blood collection and supply of blood products in this country.
The Human Organ Transplants Act 1989 prohibits commercial dealings in human organs intended for transplant. Donations of human organs will be carefully monitored under the Act and its regulations. The Act introduced controls to ensure that human organs are donated freely and according to certain conditions.
232WOrgan donations from live donors are subject to particular regulations which have been approved by Parliament and will come into effect on 1 April 1990. The Unrelated Live Transplant Regulatory Authority (ULTRA), which is being set up under this Act, will have to be satisfied that certain conditions are met in cases of donation of organs between persons who are genetically unrelated before the proposed transplant will be able to take place.
The information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.