Health and Care Act 2022

Maximum storage periods

2 (1) Section 14 (conditions of storage licences) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1), for paragraph (c) substitute—

“(c) that the requirements of subsection (3) (maximum storage periods) are met,”.

(3) For subsections (3) to (5) substitute—

“(3) The requirements referred to in subsection (1)(c) are as follows—

(a) gametes must not be kept in storage for longer than such period not exceeding 55 years beginning with the day on which they are first placed in storage as the licence may specify;

(b) an embryo must not be kept in storage for treatment purposes for longer than such period not exceeding 55 years beginning with the day on which it is first so kept as the licence may specify;

(c) an embryo that is kept in storage for the research or training purpose but not for treatment purposes must not be so kept for longer than such period not exceeding 10 years beginning with the day on which consent was given under Schedule 3 to the storage of the embryo for that purpose as the licence may specify;

(d) a human admixed embryo must not be kept in storage for longer than such period not exceeding 10 years beginning with the day on which it is first placed in storage as the licence may specify.

(4) Where under Schedule 3 consent is given to the storage of an embryo for the training or research purpose by different persons on different days, the reference in subsection (3)(c) to the day on which consent was given is to be taken as a reference to the last of those days.

(5) For the purposes of this section—

(a) “treatment purposes” are purposes referred to in paragraph 2(1)(a) or (b) of Schedule 3;

(b) the “training purpose” is the purpose referred to in paragraph 2(1)(ba) of that Schedule;

(c) the “research purpose” is the purpose referred to in paragraph 2(1)(c) of that Schedule.”