Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Baroness Thornton (Labour) on Wednesday, 27 January 2010.

Embryology

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the reply by the Minister of State for the Department of Health, Gillian Merron, on 12 January (Official Report, Commons, col. 552), why there is to be an internal governance review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority’s performance instead of an externally led inquiry.

Answer: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it determined it unnecessary for the review to be undertaken by an external person. The purpose of the review is to assess the adequacy of the Authority’s revised governance arrangements in relation to the threshold between administrative enforcement of its powers and the sphere of criminal law. The HFEA consider this internal review to be the right way to look critically at what happened and to ensure changes made since then, to its processes and procedures, provide it with adequate governance arrangements. The senior officer undertaking the review has devoted many months to reviewing the extensive documentation held by the HFEA. The senior officer will shortly contact those involved inviting them to contribute. A copy of the HFEA internal memo provided to the office of the Minister for Public Health by Dr. Evan Harris MP on 12 January 2010 has been placed in the Library.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 1376; 716 c336-7WA
Session: 2009-10
Related items: Topical Questions
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Oral questions
House of Commons; Embryology
Monday, 15 March 2010
Written questions
House of Lords; Embryology
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Written questions
House of Lords; Embryology
Thursday, 9 December 2010
Written questions
House of Lords; Embryology
Monday, 9 May 2011
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Criminal proceedings Enforcement Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk