Written question asked by Kevin McNamara (Labour) on Tuesday, 15 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 23 March 2005. It was answered by Melanie Johnson (Labour) on Wednesday, 23 March 2005 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many human eggs were donated for (a) fertility treatment and (b) research purposes in each year from 1991 to 2004.

Answer: Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many human eggs were donated for (a) fertility treatment and (b) research purposes in each year from 1991 to 2004. [222949] Miss Melanie Johnson: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has informed me that information on human eggs donated by in vitro fertilisation (IVF) patients for the treatment of others is only available from 1999. The number of eggs donated is as shown in the table. Human eggs donated for fertility treatment between 1999 and 2004 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 19991 9,924 2000 15,164 2001 14,720 2002 12,664 2003 11,739 2004 12,139 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 Information not collected prior to 1 April 1999. Source: Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Data on human eggs donated for research purposes is not collected routinely by the HFEA. However, information obtained by the HFEA from licensed centres suggests that approximately 1,500 human eggs have been donated for research purposes since 1991. Data on the HFEA's register is currently being audited to improve the accuracy of the information available. It may therefore be subject to future amendment following the completion of the modernisation programme in March 2006.

Secondary information