Human Fertilisation and Embryology

HC Deb 19 May 1993 vol 225 cc192-3W

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the budget of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

Mr. Sackville

The provision for advances to and payments on behalf of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority for 1993–94 is:

	£
Current expenditure	1,068,000
Capital expenditure	18,000

The authority is required to recover 50 per cent. of its running costs through fees paid by licensed centres.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken to ensure enforcement of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 in every laboratory capable of doing such work in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Sackville

All research projects using human embryos must be licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. Applications for a licence must have prior approval from a local research ethics committee and are subject to peer review before being considered by an HFEA licence committee. Research projects are monitored and the premises where the work is carried out are regularly inspected by the HFEA.