IVF Treatment

Baroness Deech Excerpts

Wednesday 1st July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms and Chief Whip (Lord Kennedy of Southwark)]

My Lords, we will hear from the Cross Benches next and then from the Conservative Benches.

[Baroness Deech (CB)]

My Lords, I declare an interest as a former chair of the HFEA. Does the Minister agree with me that we really must get on with modernising the Act, as more and more gaps are revealed? In the meantime, does she agree with me that the HFEA should collect data by asking clinics to supply it? Then it would get firm evidence about what works and what does not. It could then publish the data, and make sure that patients are informed by their clinics, or by leaflets in the waiting room, to go on the clinic website and the HFEA website to get the accurate information.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I would agree with the noble Baroness about the importance of ensuring that those who are considering accessing services—particularly the “add-on services”, as they are referred to—have the full information. The place for that is the HFEA website. The HFEA does make efforts, as do we in the NHS, to ensure that people are guided; however, it will be down to the individual. I absolutely agree with her about the need for reform for the reasons that I said earlier, and that is why we are looking at it.