HFEA and HFT to be maintained following review

The government has confirmed that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and Human Tissue Authority (HTA) are to be maintained as separate bodies following an independent review.

Justin McCracken led a Department of Health-commissioned assessment of the fertility and tissue regulators, which the government was considering scrapping as part of efforts to minimise the number of arm's length bodies.

Industry stakeholders were asked to share their opinions on the future of the fertility and tissue regulators in June 2012, with the idea of transferring their functions to the Care Quality Commission being considered.

However, the review has concluded that they deliver effective regulation and offer high levels of public and professional confidence, while there is also little overlap between the two organisations.

The government has accepted all 18 recommendations from the report, including the key finding that it would be more efficient to cut red tape and merge back-office functions than to combine the bodies.

Public health minister Anna Soubry said the decision will "ensure the HFEA and HTA continue to provide effective and expert regulation in complex and sensitive fields, but as efficiently as possible in line with this government's aim of reducing bureaucracy".