Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential risk that women experiencing financial hardship could be disproportionately represented among women acting as surrogates under the proposed reforms.

No such assessments have been made, but on the wider issues raised, the Government continues to support surrogacy as a part of assisted conception options, to help people who have difficulty starting their own family. The Department has published guidance on the care of surrogates and intended parents in surrogate births, available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/having-a-child-through-surrogacy/care-in-surrogacy-guidance-for-the-care-of-surrogates-and-intended-parents-in-surrogate-births-in-england-and-wales