§ Mrs. RoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the time scale is for(a) developing policy options involving stakeholders and (b) consulting the public before the moratorium on the use of genetic information by insurance companies comes to an end in 2006. [142218]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Government have made clear its position on the use of genetic test results for underwriting life and health insurance in the October 2001 Government response to the report from the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee: Genetics and Insurance.
The Genetics and Insurance Committee (GAIC) is responsible for the evaluation of specific genetic tests and their relevance to particular types of insurance. GAIC also provides independent scrutiny of compliance with the terms of the moratorium on the use of genetic test results by insurance companies, which runs until November 2006. If there is evidence of non-compliance with the moratorium by the insurance industry, then the Government is prepared to enforce it through legislation, if necessary.
The Human Genetics Commission (HGC) has been asked to work closely with GAIC to provide Government with further advice in developing a longer-term policy on the use of genetic information by insurance companies. GAIC and HGC will also monitor the effectiveness of the Association of British Insurers (ABI) Code of practice on Genetics which is mandatory for all ABI members.
HGC and GAIC held a well-received joint public meeting in September 2003. A number of interested groups, members of the public, attended this meeting, including representatives from organisations concerned with genetic disorders, as well as from insurance and re-insurance companies, and non-Governmental organisations with an interest in this area. HGC and GAIC are planning a further such meeting in 2004.
887WResearch is also under way to consider the use of genetic information in insurance underwriting. This research will be completed by 2005.