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Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 in Northern Ireland

2008 c. 22 · Enacted 13 November 2008 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 3 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 27 January 2022.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 55(3)(c)word repealedAdoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Sch. 3 para. 75(a) Sch. 5
s. 55(3)(e) and wordinsertedAdoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Sch. 3 para. 75(b)
Sch. 6 para. 68repealedAdoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 Sch. 5

An Act to amend the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 and the Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985; to make provision about the persons who in certain circumstances are to be treated in law as the parents of a child; and for connected purposes.

[13th November 2008]

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Contents

  1. Part 1: Amendments of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990
  2. Principal terms used in the 1990 Act
  3. 1Meaning of “embryo” and “gamete”
  4. 2Meaning of “nuclear DNA”
  5. Activities governed by the 1990 Act
  6. 3Prohibitions in connection with embryos
  7. 4Prohibitions in connection with genetic material not of human origin
  8. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
  9. 5Membership of Authority: disqualification and tenure
  10. 6Additional general functions of Authority
  11. 7Duties in relation to carrying out its functions
  12. 8Power to contract out functions etc.
  13. 9Power to assist other public authorities
  14. 10Power to delegate and establish committees
  15. Scope of licences
  16. 11Activities that may be licensed
  17. Licence conditions
  18. 12General conditions of licences
  19. 13Consent to use or storage of gametes, embryos, human admixed embryos etc.
  20. 14Conditions of licences for treatment
  21. 15Conditions of storage licences
  22. Grant, revocation and suspension of licences
  23. 16Grant of licence
  24. 17The person responsible
  25. 18Revocation and variation of licence
  26. 19Procedure for refusal, variation or revocation of licence
  27. 20Power to suspend licence
  28. 21Reconsideration and appeals
  29. Directions and guidance
  30. 22Directions
  31. 23Code of practice
  32. Information
  33. 24Register of information
  34. 25Restrictions on disclosure of information
  35. Mitochondrial donation
  36. 26Mitochondrial donation
  37. Miscellaneous
  38. 27Fees
  39. 28Inspection, entry, search and seizure
  40. 29Offences under the 1990 Act
  41. 30Regulations under the 1990 Act
  42. 31Power to make consequential provision
  43. 32Orders under the 1990 Act
  44. Part 2: Parenthood in cases involving assisted reproduction
  45. Meaning of “mother”
  46. 33Meaning of “mother”
  47. Application of sections 35 to 47
  48. 34Application of sections 35 to 47
  49. Meaning of “father”
  50. 36Treatment provided to woman where agreed fatherhood conditions apply
  51. 37The agreed fatherhood conditions
  52. 38Further provision relating to sections 35 and 36
  53. 39Use of sperm, or transfer of embryo, after death of man providing sperm
  54. 40Embryo transferred after death of male spouse, civil partner or intended parent who did not provide sperm
  55. 41Persons not to be treated as father
  56. Cases in which woman to be other parent
  57. 42Woman in civil partnership or marriage to a woman at time of treatment
  58. 43Treatment provided to woman who agrees that second woman to be parent
  59. 44The agreed female parenthood conditions
  60. 45Further provision relating to sections 42 and 43
  61. 46Embryo transferred after death of female spouse, civil partner or intended parent
  62. 47Woman not to be other parent merely because of egg donation
  63. Effect of sections 33 to 47
  64. 48Effect of sections 33 to 47
  65. References to parties to marriage or civil partnership
  66. 49Meaning of references to parties to a marriage
  67. 50Meaning of references to parties to a civil partnership
  68. Further provision about registration by virtue of section 39, 40 or 46
  69. 51Meaning of “relevant register of births”
  70. 52Late election by mother with consent of Registrar General
  71. Interpretation of references to father etc. where woman is other parent
  72. 53Interpretation of references to father etc.
  73. Parental orders
  74. 54Parental orders: two applicants
  75. 54AParental orders: one applicant
  76. 55Parental orders: supplementary provision
  77. Amendments of enactments
  78. 56Amendments relating to parenthood in cases involving assisted reproduction
  79. General
  80. 57Repeals and transitional provision relating to Part 2
  81. 58Interpretation of Part 2
  82. Part 3: Miscellaneous and General
  83. Miscellaneous
  84. 59Surrogacy arrangements
  85. 60Exclusion of embryos from definition of “organism” in Part 6 of the EPA 1990
  86. General
  87. 61Orders and regulations: general provisions
  88. 62Orders and regulations: parliamentary control
  89. 63Meaning of “the 1990 Act”
  90. 64Power to make consequential and transitional provision etc.
  91. 65Minor and consequential amendments
  92. 66Repeals and revocations
  93. 67Extent
  94. 68Commencement
  95. 69Short title
  96. Schedule 1: Amendments to Schedule 1 to the 1990 Act relating to membership of the Authority
  97. 1Paragraph 1
  98. 2Paragraph 2
  99. 3Paragraph 3
  100. Schedule 2: Activities that may be licensed under the 1990 Act
  101. Introductory
  102. 1Paragraph 1
  103. Licences for treatment
  104. 2Paragraph 2
  105. Embryo testing and sex selection
  106. 3Paragraph 3
  107. Licences for non-medical fertility services
  108. 4Paragraph 4
  109. Licences for storage
  110. 5Paragraph 5
  111. Licences for research
  112. 6Paragraph 6
  113. Schedule 3: Consent to use or storage of gametes, embryos or human admixed embryos etc.
  114. Introductory
  115. 1Paragraph 1
  116. 2Paragraph 2
  117. General requirements as to consent
  118. 3Paragraph 3
  119. Terms of consent
  120. 4Paragraph 4
  121. Information to be given to a person giving consent
  122. 5Paragraph 5
  123. Variation and withdrawal of consent
  124. 6Paragraph 6
  125. Withdrawal of consent to storage: notification of interested persons
  126. 7Paragraph 7
  127. Application of consent provisions to non-medical fertility services
  128. 8Paragraph 8
  129. In vitro fertilisation and subsequent use of embryo
  130. 9Paragraph 9
  131. Use of embryos obtained by lavage etc.
  132. 10Paragraph 10
  133. Consents in relation to storage
  134. 11Paragraph 11
  135. 12Paragraph 12
  136. Creation, use and storage of human admixed embryos
  137. 13Paragraph 13
  138. Cases where human cells etc. can be used without consent of person providing them
  139. 14Paragraph 14
  140. Interpretation
  141. 15Paragraph 15
  142. Schedule 4Schedule inserted in the 1990 Act as Schedule 3ZA
  143. Schedule 5Schedule inserted in the 1990 Act as Schedule 3B
  144. Schedule 6: Amendments relating to parenthood in cases involving assisted reproduction
  145. Part 1: General
  146. Population (Statistics) Act 1938 (c. 12)
  147. 1Paragraph 1
  148. Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 (c. 20)
  149. 2Paragraph 2
  150. 3Paragraph 3
  151. 4Paragraph 4
  152. 5Paragraph 5
  153. 6Paragraph 6
  154. 7Paragraph 7
  155. 8Paragraph 8
  156. 9Paragraph 9
  157. 10Paragraph 10
  158. Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Special Provisions) Act 1957 (c. 58)
  159. 11Paragraph 11
  160. 12Paragraph 12
  161. Family Law Reform Act 1969 (c. 46)
  162. 13Paragraph 13
  163. Congenital Disabilities (Civil Liability) Act 1976 (c. 28)
  164. 14Paragraph 14
  165. 15Paragraph 15
  166. Legitimacy Act 1976 (c. 31)
  167. 16Paragraph 16
  168. 17Paragraph 17
  169. 18Paragraph 18
  170. 19Paragraph 19
  171. Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (c. 43)
  172. 20Paragraph 20 Repealed
  173. Supreme Court Act 1981 (c. 54)
  174. 21Paragraph 21
  175. British Nationality Act 1981 (c. 61)
  176. 22Paragraph 22
  177. Family Law Act 1986 (c. 55)
  178. 23Paragraph 23
  179. Family Law Reform Act 1987 (c. 42)
  180. 24Paragraph 24
  181. 25Paragraph 25
  182. Children Act 1989 (c. 41)
  183. 26Paragraph 26
  184. 27Paragraph 27
  185. 28Paragraph 28
  186. 29Paragraph 29
  187. 30Paragraph 30
  188. 31Paragraph 31
  189. 32Paragraph 32
  190. Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (c. 37)
  191. 33Paragraph 33
  192. 34Paragraph 34
  193. 35Paragraph 35
  194. Child Support Act 1991 (c. 48)
  195. 36Paragraph 36
  196. Family Law Act 1996 (c. 27)
  197. 37Paragraph 37
  198. Access to Justice Act 1999 (c. 22)
  199. 38Paragraph 38 Repealed
  200. Adoption and Children Act 2002 (c. 38)
  201. 39Paragraph 39
  202. Mental Capacity Act 2005 (c. 9)
  203. 40Paragraph 40
  204. Part 2: Enactments relating only to Scotland
  205. Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937 (c. 37)
  206. 41Paragraph 41
  207. Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act 1965 (c. 49)
  208. 42Paragraph 42
  209. 43Paragraph 43
  210. 44Paragraph 44
  211. 45Paragraph 45
  212. Family Law (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 37)
  213. 46Paragraph 46
  214. 47Paragraph 47
  215. Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (c. 36)
  216. 48Paragraph 48
  217. 49Paragraph 49
  218. 50Paragraph 50
  219. 51Paragraph 51
  220. 52Paragraph 52
  221. 53Paragraph 53
  222. 54Paragraph 54
  223. Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 (c. 39)
  224. 55Paragraph 55
  225. Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 4)
  226. 56Paragraph 56
  227. Part 3: Enactments relating only to Northern Ireland
  228. Legitimacy Act (Northern Ireland) 1928 (c. 5 (N.I.))
  229. 57Paragraph 57
  230. 58Paragraph 58
  231. 59Paragraph 59
  232. Births and Deaths Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 (S.I. 1976/1041 (N.I. 14))
  233. 60Paragraph 60
  234. 61Paragraph 61
  235. 62Paragraph 62
  236. 63Paragraph 63
  237. 64Paragraph 64
  238. 65Paragraph 65
  239. 66Paragraph 66
  240. Family Law Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 (S.I. 1977/1250 (N.I. 17))
  241. 67Paragraph 67
  242. Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 (S.I. 1987/2203 (N.I. 22))
  243. 68Paragraph 68
  244. Child Support (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 (S.I. 1991/2628 (N.I. 23))
  245. 69Paragraph 69
  246. Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (S.I. 1995/755 (N.I. 2))
  247. 70Paragraph 70
  248. 71Paragraph 71
  249. 72Paragraph 72
  250. 73Paragraph 73
  251. 74Paragraph 74
  252. 75Paragraph 75
  253. 76Paragraph 76
  254. 77Paragraph 77
  255. 78Paragraph 78
  256. Family Homes and Domestic Violence (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/1071 (N.I. 6))
  257. 79Paragraph 79
  258. Schedule 7: Minor and consequential amendments
  259. Congenital Disabilities (Civil Liability) Act 1976 (c. 28)
  260. 1Paragraph 1
  261. Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (c. 37)
  262. 2Paragraph 2
  263. 3Paragraph 3
  264. 4Paragraph 4
  265. 5Paragraph 5
  266. 6Paragraph 6
  267. 7Paragraph 7
  268. 8Paragraph 8
  269. 9Paragraph 9
  270. 10Paragraph 10
  271. 11Paragraph 11
  272. 12Paragraph 12
  273. 13Paragraph 13
  274. 14Paragraph 14
  275. 15Paragraph 15
  276. Age of Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991 (c. 50)
  277. 16Paragraph 16
  278. Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (c. 36)
  279. 17Paragraph 17
  280. Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 (asp 4)
  281. 18Paragraph 18
  282. Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 (c. 16)
  283. 19Paragraph 19
  284. 20Paragraph 20
  285. 21Paragraph 21
  286. Human Tissue Act 2004 (c. 30)
  287. 22Paragraph 22
  288. 23Paragraph 23
  289. 24Paragraph 24
  290. Mental Capacity Act 2005 (c. 9)
  291. 25Paragraph 25
  292. Schedule 8: Repeals and revocations
  293. 1Repeals
  294. 2Revocations