§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
On what grounds they have decided not to require the licensing of clinics and centres which provide gamete intra-fallopian transfer.
§ Baroness HooperThe Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill seeks to regulate the use or creation 429WA or storage of embryos outside the body and the use and storage of donated gametes. The technique of placing sperm and eggs in a woman's fallopian tubes will not therefore be licensed, unless it involves the use of donated gametes. However, the Bill contains a regulation-making provision which will enable techniques such as the placing of sperm and eggs in a woman's fallopian tubes to be licensed if my right honourable and learned friend the Secretary of State decides that is necessary at some time in the future. It also provides that the authority may also give guidance about these techniques in its code of practice. In addition, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has announced that it will be issuing guidance to fellows and members on techniques, such as GIFT, which may produce multiple pregnancy.