The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (Disclosure of Donor Information) Regulations 2004

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations are made under sections 31(4)(a) and 45(1) to (3) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. They prescribe the information which the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (“the HFEA”) will provide in response to a request from a person who has attained the age of 18 and who was, or may have been, born in consequence of treatment services provided under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. The treatment services provided under that Act include the use of donated sperm, eggs or embryos.

Regulation 2(2) prescribes information, other than information as to the identity of donors of sperm, eggs or embryos, which the HFEA will provide from its register in response to applications from adult donor-conceived persons. This information may have been entered on the register of the HFEA at any time since the register was started in 1991.

Regulation 2(3) prescribes information as to the identity of donors of sperm, eggs or embryos which will be provided by the HFEA from its register in response to applications from adult donor-conceived persons. The information as to the identity of donors which will be provided is restricted to information which donors supply to clinics on or after 1st April 2005.

Regulation 2(4) enables a donor-conceived person to restrict the information that will be provided by the HFEA in response to his request.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment has been prepared in respect of these Regulations and a copy has been placed in the library of each House of Parliament. Copies of the Regulatory Impact Assessment are published on the Department of Health’s website (www.dh.gov.uk) and can be obtained from Area D, Sixth Floor, Department of Health, Skipton House, 80 London Road, London SE1 6LH.