---

Northern Ireland Office

Answer

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress with the revision of the (a) Human Tissue Act 1961 and (b) the Anatomy Act 1984. [132478] Angela Smith: In 2001-02 England and Wales undertook a fundamental and broad review of the law on human organs and tissues taken from adults or children (including foetuses and stillborn children), either during surgery or after death. This review encompassed the two pieces of legislation mentioned by the hon. Member, for which the Northern Ireland equivalents are the Human Tissue Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 and the Anatomy (Northern Ireland) Order 1992. A public consultation document, "Human Bodies, Human Choices", was launched in July 2002 and copied to key stakeholders in Northern Ireland. This work not only achieved broad consensus on the way forward but also demonstrated that the system of regulation being proposed, under a Human Tissue Authority, could apply equally to Northern Ireland as to England and Wales, in very much the same way as the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority operates at present. Work is well advanced on preparing new legislation covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland issued a summary of these proposals for information on Friday 17 October. It can be viewed at the Department's website: www.dhsspni.gov.uk.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

132478; 411 c518-9W;411 c528W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Donors Northern Ireland Organs Post-mortems Regulation Transplant surgery Reform

Legislation

Anatomy Act 1984

Human Tissue Act 1961

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk