Question
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have considered the lawfulness of Newcastle's Fertility Centre offer of in vitro fertilisation treatment at a reduced cost in return for donating some eggs for research; and what role Government played in the North East England Stem Cell Institute receiving final approval and funding for the scheme known as egg sharing.
Answer
Egg sharing arrangements are permitted by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), which carried out a public consultation about egg donation for research in 2006. The authority’s decision was that donation to research, including egg sharing arrangements, was appropriate provided that safeguards are in place to ensure the safety of women wishing to donate. The research project on the derivation of human embryonic stem cell lines using nuclear transfer and parthenogenically activated oocytes is licensed by the HFEA and the recompense for egg sharing is funded by the Medical Research Council. The Government played no role in the award of the research licence or funding for the North East England Stem Cell Institute.