Written question asked by David Leslie Taylor (Labour) on Thursday, 23 November 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 28 November 2006. It was answered by Joan Ryan (Labour) on Wednesday, 29 November 2006 on behalf of the Home Office.

Xenotransplantation

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications for a licence to conduct xenotransplantation experiments involving pig organs in the UK have been (a) submitted, (b) rejected and (c) granted since January 2001;

Answer: [holding answer 28 November 2006]: Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of tissue and organs between different species. The United Kingdom Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority (UKXIRA) advises the Government on the transplantation of animal tissue into humans.No applications for a licence to conduct xenotransplantation experiments involving pig organs in the United Kingdom have been submitted, rejected or approved since January 2001.Home Office Ministers have never been invited to meet with the UK Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority, but Home Office officials last attended a UKXIRA meeting on 9 May 2006.

Secondary information