To ask Her Majesty’s Government, with reference to paragraph 2.8 of the minutes of 9 March 2017 of the Licence Committee of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) regarding babies born following pronuclear transfer between embryos, what procedures are in place to (1) identify whether a child born following pronuclear transfer is born with (a) a mitochondrial disease, (b) a genetic or epigenetic abnormality, (c) a birth defect, or (d) some other adverse outcome, (2) notify the HFEA in cases of any such adverse outcome, and (3) identify any such adverse outcome and notify the HFEA where consent for follow-up has not been granted.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that, as set out in Guidance Note 33 of the Authority’s code of practice, centres carrying out mitochondrial donation are required to have documented processes in place setting out how the health of children born from mitochondrial donation will be followed up. A copy of Guidance Note 33 is attached.

If the centre becomes aware that any child born as a result of mitochondrial donation has a mitochondrial disease, birth defect, genetic abnormality or if there has been any other adverse outcome, the centre must report this to the HFEA in accordance with the adverse incidents requirements set out in Guidance Note 27 of the code of practice. A copy of Guidance Note 27 is attached.