§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many living human embryos are currently held in stock by licensees of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority; in how many of those cases the parent of those embryos is no longer known; if he will give a breakdown of the number of such embryos by their age in years since fertilisation; if he will indicate the maximum age beyond which storage of such embryos becomes illegal; how many such embryos will reach that age in each of the next three years for which figures are available; what means will be authorised for the killing of those embryos which are not used by that date; what plans he has to bring forward proposals for allowing the adoption of such living human embryos; and if he will make a statement. [33796]
§ Mr. SackvilleSection 14(4) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, which came into force on 1 August 1991, states that embryos may be stored for a maximum of five years unless regulations provide for a shorter storage time or specify the circumstances in which they may be stored for a longer period. The statutory five-year period for those embryos in storage on 1 August 1991 ends on 31 July 1996.
Information about the number of stored embryos is not collected by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority as a matter of routine. The number of embryos stored by individual licensed centres changes daily.
The Government are fully aware of public concern about stored embryos. The authority has been asked by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health to 486W make a report on the issues surrounding the statutory storage period for embryos. It is understood that some information on the number of such embryos is being collected in connection with that report. When the report is received, Ministers will consider whether any action by Government is necessary.