HFEA announces new Appeals Committee members and streamlined licensing arrangements
25 September 2009
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has today confirmed the members of its new Appeals Committee.
The chair and members of the Appeals Committee are not members of the Authority and will provide an impartial perspective.
The committee will form part of the regulator’s strengthened and streamlined process for considering licences for fertility clinics and embryo research centres. The changes come as a result of new powers granted to the Authority under the amended Human Fertilisation and Embryology 1990.
The seven member committee will be chaired by Mr Jonathan Watt-Pringle QC, a barrister practicing at the London Bar in general common law, concentrating on personal injuries, health and safety, clinical and professional negligence, coroners’ inquests and insurance.
Deputy Chair will be Ms Hilary Newiss, an intellectual property lawyer who has served on a number of public bodies in the ethics, legal and scientific research field, including the Human Genetics Commission.
The other five members will be Ms Catharine Seddon, Mr Enda McVeigh, Mrs Jennifer Dunlop, Mr Kevin Artley and Ms Julia Drown.
Using new powers under the Act, the Authority has decided to delegate decisions on routine licensing matters to an Executive Licensing Panel from 1st October. The changes are part of the HFEA’s commitment to streamlining the process for managing licence applications to provide timely, consistent and high quality decision making.
Complex, novel or controversial issues, along with research applications, will continue to be considered by one of the Authority’s Licence Committees, composed of members of the Authority.
Further details of the Appeals Committee and the Executive Licensing Panel are available on the HFEA website:
Ends
Notes to editors
- The HFEA’s Appeals Committee was appointed in line with the Nolan guidelines which provide best practice guidance for public appointments. All the committee members will be appointed for three years from 1st October 2009. Previously, the HFE Act required the Appeals Committee to consist of members of the Authority.
- The Appeals Committee members will receive a daily rate (when the committee meets) in line with that received by members of the Authority’s other committees. The Chair of the Appeals Committee will receive £269.11 per day; Deputy Chair will receive £204.55 per day; committee members will £188.87 per day. The Appeals Committee will only meet on the rare occasions that a licensing decision reaches the appeals stage.
- The Executive Licensing Panel (ELP) will meet on a regular basis and will be chaired by Peter Thompson, Director Strategy and Information. Deputy Chair will be Mark Bennett, Director Finance & Facilities. The work of the ELP will be carried out by staff as part of their employment at the HFEA and members will not receive any additional remuneration.
- Members of the Authority will continue to sit on two Licence Committees. One will consider complex, novel or controversial issues relating to treatment licences, the other will consider research licences.
- The Authority will commission a full review of the new licensing arrangements after 12 months to ensure that the new system is working effectively.
- The HFEA is the independent regulator for IVF treatment and embryo research. Our role is to protect patients and the public interest, to drive improvement in the treatment and research sectors and to provide information to the public and policymakers about treatment and research.
- The HFEA was set up in August 1991 as part of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. The HFEA’s principal tasks are to license and monitor clinics that carry out in vitro fertilisation (IVF), artificial insemination (AI) and human embryo research. The HFEA also regulates the storage of gametes (eggs and sperm) and embryos.
For further information please contact the HFEA press office on 020 7291 8226 or email press.office@hfea.gov.uk
Page last updated: 25 September 2009