Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 16 July 2008 (WA 153–4), 6 May (WA 117) and 18 May (WA 250), why it would be inappropriate for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to indicate how it might respond to potential licence applications, if the HFEA's Horizon Scanning Panel ensures that the HFEA is aware of potential licence applications in order to be prepared with an Authority policy or position, and given that the HFEA previously consulted Dr P M Zavos's work.
Answer
I have been advised by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) that licence applications have to be considered by a licence committee of the HFEA; they are not considered by the authority as a whole. HFEA licence committees are required to consider individual licence applications on their merits, taking into account the circumstances of the particular application before them. These can include the character and qualification of the person responsible to be named on the licence, the suitability of the proposed premises, scrutiny of whether use of embryos is necessary or desirable to carry out that particular research project and scrutiny of the protocols and consent forms. Therefore, general indications regarding whether the HFEA would grant particular licences would serve little purpose. When making policy the HFEA may take into account any relevant advice received from its advisory committees and its horizon scanning panel, which keeps abreast of a wide range of scientific work.