Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Earl Howe (Conservative) on Tuesday, 8 March 2011.

Embryology

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 24 January (WA 96–7) and 7 February (WA 13–14), whether information was communicated to Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority members between 16 June 2004 and 16 March 2005 in which the autoimmune nature of type 1 diabetes was highlighted or queried in relation to licensing the use of cells from diabetics for human embryo cloning.

Answer: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that research licence R0152, issued by the authority, currently permits the derivation of stem cell lines from embryos created by cell nuclear replacement using nuclei taken from sources that may include a patient with type 1 diabetes. The current licence period expires on 31 July 2011. With regard to information communicated to the HFEA, relevant to the licensing of research, the authority has advised that it has nothing to add to the information given to the noble Lord in my Written Answer of 28 February 2011 (Official Report, cols. WA 218-19).

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 7193; 725 c390WA
Session: 2010-12
Related items: Embryology
Monday, 28 February 2011
Written questions
House of Lords; Embryology
Monday, 7 February 2011
Written questions
House of Lords; Embryology
Monday, 24 January 2011
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Disclosure of information Clones Diabetes Licensing Human embryo experiments Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk