Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Darzi of Denham (Labour) on Tuesday, 1 July 2008.

Embryology

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 19 June (WA 187–8) regarding regulation of embryos where animal DNA does not predominate, his definition of human admixed embryos on 15 January (Official Report, House of Lords, cols. 1182–84) and his Written Answer on 12 May (WA 108), to what extent the quantitative criterion reflects the mixing of human sperm with eggs of the Syrian or golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), in light of what is known about the nuclear genome size (in base pairs) of each respective species and the total mass (in picograms) of mitochondrial DNA typically found in mammalian eggs.

Answer: Provision regarding the mixing of human gametes with the gametes of an animal for research purposes is provided for under new Section 4A(6)(b) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, as introduced by Clause 4 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 4384; 703 c28WA
Session: 2007-08
Related items: Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL]
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Proceeding contributions
House of Lords; Embryology
Thursday, 19 June 2008
Written questions
House of Lords; Embryology
Monday, 12 May 2008
Written questions
House of Lords; Embryology
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Human embryo experiments Regulation Human-animal hybrid embryos
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk