§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the members of the working group of the Human Genetics Advisory Commission and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority that recently considered issues relating to human cloning; if he will list in the case of each of those members the outside interests that were declared; and if he will indicate which of those members have academic qualifications in(a) ethics, (b) psychology, (c) philosophy and (d) sociology. [76240]
§ Mr. BattleThe members of the joint working group were nominated by the Human Genetics Advisory Commission (HGAC) and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The group was chaired by the Reverend Dr. John Polkinghorne (HGAC). It also comprised Dr. George Poste (HGAC), Professor Christine Gosden (HFEA) and Dr. Anne McLaren (HFEA).
All members of the HFEA and HGAC, whose membership covers a wide range of experience and backgrounds including ethicists, psychologists, philosophers and sociologists, made full contributions to the report and approved it in its final form for publication.
The declarations of interest of all members of the HGAC and HFEA are available for public inspection in accordance with, "Quangos—Opening the Doors", Cabinet Office Guidance (June 1998). Full details of members' academic qualifications are not held centrally, and will not indicate all relevant experience. Requested information held for members of the working group is as follows:
Reverend Dr. John Polkinghorne KBE FRS
Chairman, Advisory Committee on Genetic Testing. Member of the General Synod and the Board of Social Responsibility of the Church of England, Fellow of the Royal Society, Past President of Queens' College Cambridge.Dr. George Poste CBE FRS
Chief Science and Technology Officer, SmithKline Beecham Plc. Fellow of the Royal Society, Board member, SmithKline Beecham Plc, Non-Executive Chairman, Cerebrus Holdings Plc, Non-Executive Chairman, DiaDexus (USA).Professor Christine Gosden
Professor of Medical Genetics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Women's Hospital. Past chair of the MRC Unit's Ethical Committee.Dr. Anne McLaren DBE FRS
Principal Research Associate, Wellcome CRC Institute, Cambridge. Member of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics and the European Commission's Group of Expert Advisers on Ethics.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to respond to the report on human cloning from the working group of the Human Genetics Advisory Commission and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. [76238]
§ Mr. BattleThe Government are giving careful consideration to the report of the Human Genetics Advisory Commission and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, "Cloning Issues in Reproduction Science and Medicine", and will publish its response as soon as possible.
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§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry with effect from what date Sir Colin Campbell resigned as Chairman of the Human Genetics Advisory Commission; and what reasons he gave for his resignation. [76236]
§ Mr. BattleSir Colin Campbell resigned as Chairman of the Human Genetics Advisory Commission on 5 February 1999, as he was anticipating non-executive responsibilities with a major insurance company, and in case HGAC should in future return to consider genetics and insurance wished to remove himself from any possible future conflict of interest.