Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 3 June (WA 88–89) and by Baroness Thornton on 27 October (WA 124), whether the numbers of human gametes and embryos used in research are monitored by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority in order to ensure that the proposed use still fulfils the criteria of the research licence upon renewal; and what assessment they have made of how progress in the work undertaken has met the objectives of the original application for research licence R0152.
Answer
The numbers of human gametes and embryos used in licensed research are monitored by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) in order to ensure that the proposed use still fulfils the criteria of the research licence upon renewal. Regarding research licence R0152—granted to the Newcastle Fertility Centre at Life—I understand that the HFEA's research licence committee was informed of the number of eggs and embryos used in the research project during 2007, when it considered renewal of the licence. The inspection report to which the committee referred and the minutes of the meeting are available at www.hfea.gov.uk/2015.html#Newcastle_ Fertility_Centre_at_Life-0017 and www.hfea.gov.uk/ 1564.html respectively. The process used to determine whether to renew a research licence is set out in a decision tree used by the licence committee (this can be found at www.hfea.gov.uk/1128.html). One step in this decision tree is a determination of whether the proposed use or creation of human embryos is necessary for the purpose of the research.