§ Mr. WatsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of new processes to produce stem cell-like cells from the blood. [165027]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Government consider that it is too soon to say what kind of stem cells will yield breakthroughs in scientific knowledge enabling new treatments to be developed. The Government are therefore promoting research across a full range of stem cell sources.
§ Mr. WatsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the use of online human egg matching services [165032]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe use of donor eggs in treatment in the United Kingdom is subject to the provisions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 and is regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). Standards of practice for the donation of eggs and their subsequent use in treatment, including remuneration for donors, are set out in the HFEA's code of practice. Payments that may be made to donors are limited to £15.00 per donation plus reasonable expenses. These provisions apply irrespective of the potential donor's country of origin or the route by which they are linked to a potential recipient.