Embryology

Question

To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 5 December 2007 (WA 195-6) and by Baroness Thornton on 19 January 2010 (WA 224-5), whether the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority still holds records of numbers of eggs pertaining to every cycle of in vitro fertilisation treatment carried out in the United Kingdom; and, if not, why that information is no longer maintained.

Answer

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) was the source of the information provided by Lord Darzi of Denham to the noble Lord in his Written Answer of 19 June 2008 (WA 178-86). The mean number of eggs collected per cycle (in which egg collection was intended), at the Newcastle Fertility Centre, is shown in the following table.

Year	Mean number of eggs collected
2004	10.4
2005	9.5
2006	8.1
2007	8.4
2008	8.2
2009	9.3

"Source: HFEA" The HFEA has advised that the information held on its register, regarding eggs, is in line with the requirements of Section 31 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended. The HFEA has also advised that, with regard to the use of eggs in research and also its research licence R0122, it has nothing further to add to the information given in my answer of 19 January 2010 (WA 224-5).