§ Mr. AmessTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms are in place for the management and independent inspection of the Frozen Embryo bank; and how many mismatches have been(a) claimed and (b) verified in the last year. [74761]
§ Ms BlearsFrozen embryos are stored in centres licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). Storage must be in accordance with the conditions of the licence, which include compliance with the HFEA's code of practice. The code of practice is regularly reviewed and laid before Parliament. The HFEA carries out a full inspection of each centre before a licence is given and every three years thereafter. In the interval there are annual inspections of specific aspects of the centre's work. A case involving alleged irregularities in frozen embryo storage is currently subject to court proceedings.