HUMAN FERTILIZATION AND EMBRIOLOGY ACT 1990 (C. 37)

B- Activities governed by the Act

03- Prohibitions in connection with embryos.
(1) No person shall
(a) bring about the creation of an embryo, or
(b) keep or use an embryo, except in pursuance of a licence.

(2) No person shall place in a woman
(a) a live embryo other than a human embryo, or
(b) any live gametes other than human gametes.   

(3) A licence cannot authorise
(a) keeping or using an embryo after the appearance of the primitive streak,
(b) placing an embryo in any animal,
(c) keeping or using an embryo in any circumstances in which regulations prohibit its keeping or use, or
(d) replacing a nucleus of a cell of an embryo with a nucleus taken from a cell of any person, embryo or subsequent development of an embryo.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (3)(a) above, the primitive streak is to be taken to have appeared in an embryo not later than the end of the period of 14 days beginning with the day when the gametes are mixed, not counting any time during which the embryo is stored.

04 - Prohibitions in connection with gametes.
(1) No person shall
(a) store any gametes, or
(b) in the course of providing treatment services for any woman, use the sperm of any man unless the services are being provided for the woman and the man together or use the eggs of any other woman, or
(c) mix gametes with the live gametes of any animal,
except in pursuance of a licence.

(2) A licence cannot authorise storing or using gametes in any circumstances in which regulations prohibit their storage or use.

(3) No person shall place sperm and eggs in a woman in any circumstances specified in regulations except in pursuance of a licence.

(4) Regulations made by virtue of subsection (3) above may provide that, in relation to licences only to place sperm and eggs in a woman in such circumstances, sections 12 to 22 of this Act shall have effect with such modifications as may be specified in the regulations.