Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 19 October (WA 71–2), on what date did the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority first notify gamete providers that their resulting embryos were used in research without their consent under Research Licence R0075 at Centre 0102; and at which other licensed centres this is known to have occurred.
Answer
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it has not notified gamete providers in the circumstances described by the noble Lord. The authority considers this to be the role of licensed centres. If the noble Lord has a specific case in mind, if he will provide the details to the HFEA, the authority has undertaken to look into the matter. The HFEA has also advised that for it to provide the requested information about any licence under which embryos may have been used in research without the gamete providers' consent, a manual search would be required of inspection reports and reported incidents, relating to all current and expired licences. This could be provided only at disproportionate cost.