HC Deb 12 December 2000 vol 359 cc82-5W
Ms Kelly

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation his Department has undertaken on pieces of research that offer an alternative to human embryo cloning for medical research; and if he will list those pieces of research that have been examined. [142037]

Yvette Cooper

The main pieces of research that were evaluated by the Chief Medical Officer's expert group when preparing their report are included in the key references listed at the end of their published report. The group also consulted a number of organisations and individuals with expertise in this area in preparing their report.

Individual experts on the group keep abreast of published research in their specialist areas of interest. In September 2000, members of the expert group were also asked to look at key papers which had been published since the completion of their report, including the following:

  • Galli R. et al., Nature Neuroscience 3, 986. 2000.
  • Woodbury D. et al., J. Neurosci. Res. 61, 364. 2000.
  • Sanchez-Ramos J. et al., Exp. Neurol. 164, 247. 2000.
  • Alison M.R. et al., Nature 406, 257. 2000.
  • Clarke D.L. et al., Science 288, 1660. 2000.

The group's view was that the recent advances in research on adult stem cells, while being encouraging, do not invalidate the conclusions they reached earlier in the year.

Ms Kelly

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with(a) the bioscience industry, (b) religious organisations and(c) other interested groups on the recommendations of the Donaldson Report; and what was the outcome of these discussions. [142039]

Yvette Cooper

The Chief Medical Officer's expert group sought information on the scientific and ethical issues from a range of outside groups and individuals. The group considered written submissions from over 100 respondents from all sides of the debate. A list of responders is in the table. The outcome of these consultations is reflected in the recommendations made in the Donaldson Report.

Since the finalisation of the report, officials from the Department have had discussions with a number of groups interested in this issue, mainly from medical, ethics and patient support backgrounds. A number of these groups have provided briefing to hon. Members on the recommendations contained in the Donaldson Report.

List of respondents to CMO's consultation on therapeutic cloning
Number Respondent identifier
1 Neurology Department University of Newcastle upon Tyne
2 Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory—Colorado State University, USA
3 E. Jones
4 The Data Protection Registrar
5 A. Robinson
6 R. Miller
7 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine—Division of Developmental Genetics Baltimore, USA
8 Reproductive Genetics Unit—Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences—University of California, San Francisco, USA
9 I. Barnes
10 P. Kemp
11 Medical Research Council—MRC
12 The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
13 Association of Medical Research Charities—AMRC
14 UCL/UCLH/NHNN Ethics Review Committee
15 M. McEwan-Reid
16 G. Spittles

List of respondents to CMO's consultation on therapeutic cloning
Number Respondent identifier
17 M. Shamblott
18 J. Scotson
19 J. Boffey
20 Church of Ireland—The General Synod
21 R. Cheesewright
22 Quaker Ethics and Genetics Network
23 Duplicate
24 Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland—Committee on Public Morals
25 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
26 European Bioethical Research
27 Centre for Bioethics and Public Policy
28 International Underwriting Association
29 Duplicate
30 P. Perry
31 Centre for Applied Ethics—Canterbury
32 Duplicate
33 Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments
34 Institute of Biology
35 Biological and Biotechnological Science Research Council—BSRC
36 Catholic Bishops' Joint Committee on Bioethical Issues
37 International Right to Life Federation
38 E. King
39 M. Hobbs
40 F. Young
41 Department of Histochemistry—Imperial College School of Medicine
42 Centre for Early Human Development, Australia
43 PPL Therapeutics
44 Imperial Cancer Research Fund
45 Student LifeNet
46 J. Harvey
47 J. McCarthy
48 Department of Social Anthropology—Cambridge
49 Genetic Interest Group
50 B. Murray
51 R. Gilkison
52 M. Hendrickx
53 P. Houston
54 S. Tyler
55 Church of Scotland Society, Religion and Technology Project
56 J. Proom
57 L. Plant
58 C. Greeve
59 D. Morley
60 A. Baily
61 M. Arif
62 CAHGE—The Campaign Against Human Genetic Engineering
63 F. Pinto
64 Methodist Church—North Hertfordshire Circuit—Social Responsibility Committee
65 CORE—Comment on Reproductive Ethics
66 J. Bell
67 Medical Women's Federation
68 The Royal Society of Edinburgh
69 CARE—Christian Action Research Education
70 BMA—British Medical Association
71 Theology Department—Chester College of Higher Education
72 SPUC—The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children
73 The Royal Society
74 Geron BioMed Ltd.
75 J. Hallett
76 W. Hansen
77 M. Grech-Marguerat
78 A. Burnett
79 D. Foley
80 T. Moris
81 E. Toye
82 D. Morley
83 R. Beale
84 F. Reid
85 S. Dias
86 C. Musgrave

List of respondents to CMO's consultation on therapeutic cloning
Number Respondent identifier
87 M. Hobbs
88 M. Kelly
89 A. Clark
90 T. Harte
91 I. Benson
92 N. Smith
93 Centre for Genome Research—Edinburgh
94 Guild of Catholic Doctors
95 Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
96 E. Souter
97 Wellcome CRC Institute
98 M. Sparshott
99 C. Bull
100 Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry
101 Special Parkinson's Research Interest Group
102 All-Party Parliamentary Pro-life Group
103 Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
104 D. Munroe
107 Name withheld
LIFE

Ms Kelly

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated financial benefit to the bioscience industry based on the proposed extension of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. [142038]

Yvette Cooper

No such estimate has been made. An extension of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 was recommended in the report "Stem Cell Research: Medical Progress with Responsibility" on the grounds of the significant therapeutic benefits which could result from research across a range of possible sources of stem cells, including embryos.

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