HC Deb 07 October 2003 vol 411 cc80-1W
Norman Baker:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what factors underlay the decision of UK Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority not to publish the legal and ethics review of xenotransplantation produced by Professor McLean and Dr. Williamson; [129269]

(2) if he will publish the useful discussion points identified by the UK Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority in their consideration of the ethics review of xenotransplantation produced by Professor McLean and Dr. Williamson; [129271]

(3) what advice his Department gave to the UK Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority regarding the legal review by Professor McLean and Dr. Williamson, with particular reference to the question of its publication. [129272]

Ms Rosie Winterton:

While there are no plans to publish Professor McLean's legal and ethics review as a United Kingdom Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority (UKXIRA) document, UKXIRA and the Department have no objections to the review being published by the author. The Department encourages researchers to publish their findings in peer review journals and Professor McLean is contractually free to make the review and the discussions within it available to the public. As is customary, the summary of the review will be placed on the Department's research findings register (which is available on the Department's website) and the summary of the research papers will be placed on the UKXIRA website. Due to the interest shown in the review, a copy will be placed in the Library for information shortly.

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