§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the benefit of allowing insurance companies to have access to genetic information about individuals. [147026]
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Yvette Coope[holding answer 30 January 2001]: While individuals cannot be required to take a genetic test by an insurance company, they may be asked to divulge the results of certain specific genetic tests already taken. We recognise that there is widespread unease about the possible unfair use of genetic information in general. Because of this we have asked the Human Genetics Commission to look at the wider social and ethical issues involved in the use of genetic data in insurance and to report their recommendations to Ministers.