Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 15 June (WA 100), why the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) does not hold information on the number of embryos used for the specific purpose of deriving embryonic stem cells; whether the purpose of deriving embryonic stem cells is recorded in any HFEA research licences; whether directions issued by the HFEA require licence holders to maintain records on total numbers of embryos created, used or disposed of in undertaking licensed research; and, if so, how many human embryos or cybrid embryos have been used under each research licence awarded for the purpose of deriving embryonic stem cells.
Answer
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it holds information on the number of embryos used in licensed research projects. These projects often have several objectives; the HFEA does not hold information on the number of embryos used for each objective. The purpose of deriving human embryonic stem cells is recorded on HFEA research licences. The HFEA has issued a General Direction 0002 requiring centres to maintain a record, in any format, of the total number of embryos created, used or disposed of during a project of research. The HFEA has advised that it will take a significant amount of time to compile the information requested by the noble Lord, relating to number of embryos used under each research licence for the purpose of deriving embryonic stem cells. Therefore, I have asked the authority's chief executive to endeavour to complete this work within 20 working days and I will write to the noble Lord as soon as I receive the information and place a copy of my letter in the Library. The HFEA has advised that the intended aim of deriving stem cells from embryos created using the nuclei from a patient with type 1 diabetes in research licence R0152 was to improve treatment of this disease. The authority's Licence Committee decided, in March 2005, that this objective falls under the following research purpose, as set out in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Research Purposes) Regulations 2001: Regulation 2(2)(c), "enabling any such knowledge to be applied in developing treatments for serious disease". The use of embryos created by somatic cell nuclear transfer for treatment purposes is unlawful in the United Kingdom. The HFEA has advised that it has not authorised the use of cells obtained from children in licensed research project number R0152.