Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 24 January (WA 96–7) and 7 February (WA 13–14), whether the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised them of whether no information was communicated to Authority members prior to 16 March 2005 in which the autoimmune nature of type 1 diabetes was highlighted or queried in relation to licensing the use of cells from diabetics for human embryo cloning; why they answered the question by reference to licence committee practice; and how any substantive answer would affect the statutory delegation of the Authority’s functions.
Answer
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) did not advise the department whether or not information was communicated to authority members prior to 16 March 2005 in which the autoimmune nature of type 1 diabetes was highlighted or queried in relation to licensing the use of cells from diabetics for human embryo cloning. The HFEA is an independent statutory body and the manner in which it discharges its statutory duties is a matter for the authority itself to determine. The matters raised in this question were considered by a HFEA licence committee at a meeting held almost six years ago. The HFEA has advised that a record of this meeting is set out in the relevant minutes. The HFEA has also advised that it cannot comment on what information may have come to the attention of the members in any period of time prior to the date of the meeting, beyond the information referred to or contained in records held by the authority. The HFEA has further advised that it has not suggested that the provision of information would affect the statutory delegation of the authority’s functions.