Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Markham on 22 June (HL8340), whether the implantation failure rate for all other treatments is therefore incomparably low relative to that to date for pronuclear transfer; or whether the number of successful treatments to date for pronuclear transfer is incomparably low; and what is the implantation failure rate for all other treatments regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it has not made any assessment of whether the implantation failure rate for all other treatments is incomparably low relative to that to date for pronuclear transfer; or whether the number of successful treatments to date for pronuclear transfer is incomparably low. The HFEA routinely publish implantation success rates. The implantation failure rate is the remainder.
The following table shows the average implantation rate and implantation failure rate per embryo transferred from fresh embryo transfer using patients eggs by patient age, 2021.
Year | Implantation rate per embryo transferred | Implantation failure rate per embryo transferred |
Age 18 to 34 years old | 41% | 59% |
Age 35 to 37 years old | 33% | 67% |
Age 38 to 39 years old | 25% | 75% |
Age 40 to 42 years old | 16% | 84% |
Age 43 to 50 years old | 6% | 94% |
Source: HFEA
Implantation rates for 2021 are preliminary. This data includes IVF treatment cycles begun with the intention of having a live birth only and includes fresh embryo transfers. PGT-A/M/SR treatments and treatments using donor eggs or surrogacy have been excluded.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Markham on 6 June (HL7725), how the implantation failure rate for pronuclear transfer compares to that for all other treatments regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that it is not possible to compare the implantation failure rate for pronuclear transfer to all other treatments it regulates as the number to date is too low.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 15 July 2013 (HL1303), what progress the Human and Embryology Authority is able to report that may correspond to previous estimates that mitochondria replacement techniques could "save the lives of up to 10 babies who are born every year with a severe form of the disease, such as those with high levels of mutations".
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that it has made no assessment of the estimates previously made by the Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial Research at Newcastle University, as the number of treatments to date in the United Kingdom is so low.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Lord Kamall on 5 January 2022 (HLWS503), how many patients to date have been licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority as eligible for mitochondrial donation treatment in the UK; how many embryos in total have been produced using (1) pronuclear transfer, and (2) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer; and how many embryos have been transferred to uteri pursuant to (a) pronuclear transfer, and (b) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that 32 patients have been licensed as eligible for mitochondrial donation treatment in the United Kingdom. The following table shows how many embryos have been produced during mitochondrial donation treatment and how many embryos have been transferred to uteri pursuant to clinical application in the UK of (a) pronuclear transfer and (b) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer.
| Pronuclear transfer | Spindle-chromosomal complex transfer |
Embryos produced during mitochondrial donation treatment1 | 317 | 0 |
Embryos transferred | 24 | 0 |
Source: HFEA
Notes:
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 6 April 2017 (HL6515), whether the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has been made aware that any child born as a result of mitochondrial donation has (1) a mitochondrial disease, (2) birth defect, (3) genetic abnormality, or (4) any other adverse outcome.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that it cannot provide the detailed information as requested as it may compromise patient confidentiality.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Bethell on 5 March 2020 (HL1701) and 2 April 2020 (HL2792), how many (1) implantation failures, (2) spontaneous miscarriages, (3) terminations of pregnancies, and (4) live births, have been recorded pursuant to clinical application in the UK of (a) pronuclear transfer, and (b) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
The following table shows how many implantation failures, spontaneous miscarriages, terminations of pregnancies and live births, have been recorded pursuant to clinical application in the UK of pronuclear transfer and spindle-chromosomal complex transfer.
| Pronuclear transfer | Spindle-chromosomal complex transfer |
Implantation failures | 20-23 | 0 |
Spontaneous miscarriages | 0 | 0 |
Terminations of pregnancy | 0 | 0 |
Live births |
| 0 |
Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)
Notes:
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hospice and End of Life Care The Lasting Impact of COVID-19 on Death, Dying and Bereavement, published on 1 March, what assessment they have made of innovations in the administration of palliative care medication that were developed during the COVID-19 pandemic; and what plans they have to roll out any of these innovations more widely.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
While no specific assessment of the innovations in the administration of palliative care medication has been made, the Government and NHS England both recognise the importance of timely access to palliative and end of life care medicines for patients and those important to them. Clinicians should provide details of who can administer the medicine, ensuring they follow local guidance and consider national best practice.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hospice and End of Life Care The Lasting Impact of COVID-19 on Death, Dying and Bereavement, published on 1 March, what steps they will take to address the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on (1) the workforce in the health and social care sector, (2) families and unpaid carers, and (3) communities.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government has commissioned NHS England to develop a Long Term Workforce Plan for the National Health Service. Additionally, steps have been taken to deliver the 50,000 nurses commitment by providing a financial support package.
To reduce waiting lists in community health, the Government is allocating core funding growth for community health services, investing £8 million this financial year to provide training to support community staff, and on track to reach our commitment of 200,000 personal health budgets by March 2024. Furthermore, the publication of the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan will work to scale up community teams.
The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable high-quality care and support services, including support for unpaid carers. Additionally, funding for respite and short breaks for carers is included in the NHS contribution to the Better Care Fund.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of (1) the amount of PPE purchased for the UK that is being stored in China, and (2) the cost of such storage.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
As of 28 November 2022, the Department had 118 million items of personal protective equipment (PPE) stored in China at an average weekly cost of £260,000.
We have no plans to store PPE in China in future and are working to rapidly reduce our existing holding to zero.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for the disposal or continued storage of PPE purchased for the UK and stored in China.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
As of 28 November 2022, the Department had 118 million items of personal protective equipment (PPE) stored in China at an average weekly cost of £260,000.
We have no plans to store PPE in China in future and are working to rapidly reduce our existing holding to zero.