§ Sir Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the estimated reduction in the male sperm count in the United Kingdom over the last 10 years; what research his Department has(a) evaluated and (b) commissioned into the factors causing change; and what international comparisons his Department has made. [9874]
§ Ms JowellSome of the recent research from the United Kingdom and other countries has suggested a decline in sperm count, but overall the results are inconsistent and there is no scientific consensus.
417WData on semen quality are not collected routinely and arise principally from sources such as tests in infertility clinics or prospective research studies from disparate laboratories whose methods of analysis and reporting may be of doubtful consistency or comparability. This reflects a continuing problem of standardisation in semen analysis, which has not yet been resolved. The same difficulty applies to reports of substantial differences in quality and trends between countries and between areas within countries.
The Department does not currently fund research in this area. The main agency through which the Government have supported research in this area is the Medical Research Council. Recently, two projects have been funded. These are:
- 1. "Has male fertility been declining—a population survey of Time to Pregnancy" (Imperial College School of Medicine at St. Mary's). This was completed on 31 March 1997.
- 2. "Environmental oestrogens and the central pulse generator controlling reproduction: a novel approach to critical issue" (King's College, London). This is due to be completed at the end of February 1999.
The Department is planning a joint three or four-year programme of research, with the Health and Safety Executive and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. The programme will look at trends in male reproductive health and the possible influences of occupational or environmental exposure to chemicals.