Organ Transplantation

Lord Davies of Coity Excerpts

Monday 27th February 2012 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

The right reverend Prelate is absolutely correct. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Human Tissue Act 2004 requires that appropriate consent be given for the removal, storage and use of material from a deceased person for a range of purposes, including transplantation. Appropriate consent means the deceased person’s consent or that of his or her nominated representative, or of a person who stands in a qualifying relationship to the dead person. There are no plans to change that principle.

[Lord Davies of Coity]

My Lords, can the Minister—

[Lord Patel of Bradford]

My Lords, while we have seen an improvement over the years in the number of donors from minority and ethnic groups, particularly the south Asian community, for a whole host of reasons, including religious and cultural matters, the number of donors needed to come through the system remains very short of what is required. What are the Government doing to improve the situation?

--- Later in debate ---

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I am advised that it would not be legally binding.

[Lord Davies of Coity]

My Lords, the question that I was going to ask earlier has been answered. However, the question I am going to put now is this: are the same people who will not participate in the donation of organs also reluctant to receive organs from donors?

[Earl Howe]

No, my Lords, and that is part of the problem.