STATEMENT FROM UK DONORLINK IN RESPONSE TO THE GOVERNMENT�S ANNOUNCEMENT FOLLOWING THE REVIEW OF SPERM, EGG AND EMBRYO DONOR ANONYNIMITY

UK DonorLink warmly welcomes the announcement today by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health, Melanie Johnson MP, that in the future the prospective lifting of donor anonymity, will give people conceived using donor the same rights to find out about their genetic origins as adopted people.

UK DonorLink, a Voluntary Information Exchange and Contact Register is for donor offspring aged 18 and over, siblings and donors to exchange information with each other with appropriate counselling support. The register has been supported by the Department of Health following extensive consultation determining a need for such a register.

Lyndsey Marshall, Manager of the UK DonorLink register said: �We welcome the timing of this announcement as the register is due to open shortly and it builds upon the increasing demand from people conceived by donor assisted conception for a more open and transparent system�. The new register will be open to people who were conceived and people who donated prior to 1991. The register will be voluntary and dependent upon donors and offspring coming forward to register their interest in exchanging information and, if both parties wish, having direct contact with each others. Confidentiality is assured and there is no intention to track people down against their expressed wishes. As this Register covers people covered under the existing law, parties can come forward and choose whether to retain their actual identity in the exchange of information.

Marilyn Crawshaw, Chair of the Advisory Group said: �In the field of adoption, we knew for many years of the difficulties that can result from people not being able to access the information that they need about their biographical heritage. We strongly believe that this announcement has the potential to lift the stigma of secrecy from the field of donor conception, just as happened with adoption, so that the individuals and families concerned can get on with their lives with full knowledge of their backgrounds.�

ENDS UK DonorLink is run by After Adoption Yorkshire (AAY) - a specialist adoption support agency, based in Leeds, and working across Yorkshire & Humberside. They provide a counselling and support service to adopters, adopted adults and birth families.