Schedule 1
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords]
4:15 pm
Mark Simmonds (Shadow Minister, Health; Boston and Skegness, Conservative)
Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Gale. The purpose of amendment No. 22 is to get across to both the Government and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority that, while the HFEA is held in very high regard and is perceived globally as the lead regulator in such issues, there is concern that it has in the past and perhaps will in the future be a closed shop. The amendment would ensure that amenable clinicians who wished to serve on the HFEA and others who wanted to be reappointed could not be reappointed again and again, as can happen at the moment. The effect of that practice is keeping others out as the ratio of expert members is limited.
The majority of clinics have a good relationship with the HFEA, but that is not universal, as I have found out in my meetings with those who have had dealings with the HFEA. Some clinics have had difficulties and they put that down primarily—not solely—to the static membership of the authority. There have also been issues of competitive conflict, and it is important that clinicians do not sit on licensing committees when determining policy that might have a beneficial impact on their own clinics. I shall not give specific examples of that, but I am sure that officials are aware that that has happened.
Under the amendment, members of the HFEA could not stand for more than two consecutive terms.