§ Mr. AmosTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what Government funding is given to the British Pregnancy Advisory Service; what licences or other Government approvals are required for the activities of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service; and what official contacts he has had with the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in the past year.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe British Pregnancy Advisory Service—BPAS—does not receive central funding though some of its income will come from its contracts with health authorities. BPAS nursing homes, like all hospitals, homes and clinics within part II of the 17W Registered Homes Act 1984 must be registered by the relevant health authority and inspected at least twice a year by that authority. In addition, BPAS and other private sector clinics providing abortion treatment must be approved by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State under the Abortion Act 1967. BPAS also operates a number of pregnancy advice bureaux which are registered by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. All approved places and pregnancy advice bureaux are subject to periodic unannounced inspections by the Department's staff. BPAS premises have therefore received a number of official visits by departmental and NHS staff over the past year.
From 1 August BPAS will be obliged to comply with licence conditions contained in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, and any extra conditions which are imposed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority—HFEA—if it wishes to continue to provide assisted conception services which are subject to regulation by that Act. If it is licensed it will also be expected to follow the guidelines in the code of practice that the HFEA will produce.