Stem Cell Research (Hansard, 17 December 2002)

§ Bob Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is necessary to obtain a licence from the HFEA before conducting research into stem cell lines from human embryos, with particular reference to derivation and characterisation of such stem cells. [86523]

§ Ms Blears
[holding answer 9 December 2002]: A licence from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is required to bring about the creation of embryos in vitro and to keep or use embryos for the purposes of a project of research. All applications for a licence to use embryos to source embryonic stem cell lines will be required to justify why embryonic stem cells 789W are to be used and will be required to provide detailed information on the fate of the stem cells throughout the process.
Furthermore, it will be a condition of all these licences that a sample of all cell lines is placed in the Medical Research Council's (MRC) national stem cell bank. The subsequent use of any stem cell lines derived from embryos will be subject to a code of practice to be produced by the MRC stem cell bank steering committee.

§ Bob Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the HFEA was given authority to issue research licences to conduct research involving stem cell lines from human embryos. [86524]

§ Ms Blears
[holding answer 9 December 2002]: Any research project involving the creation, keeping or using of human embryos outside the body must be licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). To grant a research licence, the HFEA must be satisfied that the research is "necessary or desirable" and that the use of human embryos is essential. Before 2001, the HFEA could grant licences for research projects only for the following specified purposes (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 Schedule 2, para.3(2):

a) promoting advances in the treatment of infertility;

b) increasing knowledge about the causes of congenital disease;

c) increasing knowledge about the causes of miscarriages;

d) developing more effective techniques of contraception; or

e) developing methods for detecting the presence of gene or chromosome abnormalities in embryos before implantation.

In January 2001, Parliament passed regulations extending the purposes for which research licenses may be authorised to include:

f) increasing knowledge about the development of embryos;

g) increasing knowledge about serious disease;

h) enabling any such knowledge to be applied in developing treatments for serious disease.

Table 10.2 Gross expenditure on services for people with learning disabilities

£ million

1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000⁵ 2000–01

HCHS expenditure

Total expenditure, 2000–01 pricesh^1,2 28,172 26,387 26,975 27,760 28,793 30,099

Expenditure on people with learning disabilities 1,370 1,460 1,499 1,486 1,481 1,486

Percentage of total expenditure 4.9% 5.5% 5.6% 5.4% 5.1% 4.9%

In-patient 954 966 943 898 890 889

Out-patient 12 24 25 23 22 20

Day patients 49 64 63 67 65 62

Community 355 406 468 498 504 514

PSS expenditures

Total expenditure, 2000–01 prices¹ 9,602 10,271 10,739 11,356 12,315 12,848

Expenditure on people with learning disabilities 1,235 1,340 1,424 1,565 1,669 1,752

Percentage of total expenditure 12.9% 13.0% 13.3% 13.8% 13.6% 13.6%

Adults⁴ 1,130 1,236 1,316 1,459 1,561 1,647

Assessment and care management⁴ 105 103 108 107 108 105

¹Adjusted to 1999–2000 prices using HCHS deflator for NHS expenditure and 2000–01 prices using GDP deflator for PSS expenditure. Figures shown for 1999–2000 are not directly comparable with previous years due to estimations used and changes to the calculation methods.

² The HCHS expenditure information is based on profiles of expenditure provided by trusts but scaled to match health authorities' total expenditure. Thus, there is a possibility that the figures under estimate the expenditure on services purchased by health authorities from the private and voluntary sectors. It may be the case that hospital expenditure is over estimated and community expenditure is under estimated. These figures exclude health authority overheads.

³Includes administrative and clerical overheads.

⁴ Adults aged 16–64. Excludes expenditure on mental health provision for children which cannot be separately identified.

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Before 2001, the HFEA could, therefore, grant a licence for research projects involving the use of embryos to create stem cell lines if the research was for one of the purposes listed in (a) to (e) above.

§ Bob Spink
To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what authority the HFEA gave a research licence to Professor Austin Smith at the Centre for Genome Research in Edinburgh to derive and characterise stem cell lines from human embryos in 1997. [86525]

§ Ms Blears
[holding answer 9 December 2002]: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority issued a licence to the assisted conception unit at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, later varied to the Centre for Genome Research, in 1996 for the purposes specified in paragraph 3(2)(a), (b) and (e) of Schedule 2 to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990.

Table 10.2 Gross expenditure on services for people with learning disabilities
£ million
	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000⁵	2000–01
HCHS expenditure
Total expenditure, 2000–01 pricesh^1,2	28,172	26,387	26,975	27,760	28,793	30,099
Expenditure on people with learning disabilities	1,370	1,460	1,499	1,486	1,481	1,486
Percentage of total expenditure	4.9%	5.5%	5.6%	5.4%	5.1%	4.9%
In-patient	954	966	943	898	890	889
Out-patient	12	24	25	23	22	20
Day patients	49	64	63	67	65	62
Community	355	406	468	498	504	514
PSS expenditures
Total expenditure, 2000–01 prices¹	9,602	10,271	10,739	11,356	12,315	12,848
Expenditure on people with learning disabilities	1,235	1,340	1,424	1,565	1,669	1,752
Percentage of total expenditure	12.9%	13.0%	13.3%	13.8%	13.6%	13.6%
Adults⁴	1,130	1,236	1,316	1,459	1,561	1,647
Assessment and care management⁴	105	103	108	107	108	105
¹Adjusted to 1999–2000 prices using HCHS deflator for NHS expenditure and 2000–01 prices using GDP deflator for PSS expenditure. Figures shown for 1999–2000 are not directly comparable with previous years due to estimations used and changes to the calculation methods.
² The HCHS expenditure information is based on profiles of expenditure provided by trusts but scaled to match health authorities' total expenditure. Thus, there is a possibility that the figures under estimate the expenditure on services purchased by health authorities from the private and voluntary sectors. It may be the case that hospital expenditure is over estimated and community expenditure is under estimated. These figures exclude health authority overheads.
³Includes administrative and clerical overheads.
⁴ Adults aged 16–64. Excludes expenditure on mental health provision for children which cannot be separately identified.