Human Fertilisation and Embryology

Part of Living Wage (Reporting) – in the House of Commons at 2:01 pm on 3 February 2015.

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Photo of Jane Ellison Jane Ellison The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health 2:01, 3 February 2015

I am sorry. I know that many Members wish to intervene, but I am trying to leave time for Back-Bench contributions.

If the regulations are passed by Parliament, the HFEA will introduce a robust regulatory process, as it has in other areas of fertility treatment. The regulations would also establish important safeguards through the HFEA’s own licensing procedures. Before licences could be issued to providers of mitochondrial donation, they would have to demonstrate that they could carry out the procedure safely and effectively. Each provider would need to be licensed, and treatment for each patient would be approved on a case-by-case basis. Decisions would be based on the scientific evidence and advice that were submitted to the licensing committee. The HFEA is highly respected across the globe as a model for the regulation of fertility and embryology treatments and research. Many other countries do not have such a framework.

I recognise that some Members disagree in principle with mitochondrial donation, and I respect their point of view, although I do not share it. To those who do not disagree in principle I have sought to demonstrate—as we have sought to demonstrate over the years of expert panel reviews and further consideration—that all reasonable and rigorous steps have been followed to reach the point at which Parliament can be asked to make an informed decision about whether to allow these techniques to be licensed on a case-by-case basis. It is a bold step for Parliament to take, but it is a considered and informed step.

This is world-leading science within a highly respected regulatory regime, and for the families affected it is a light at the end of a very dark tunnel. I commend the regulations to the House.