London - The British government yesterday announced plans to limit expenses to surrogate mothers, following fears that some were cashing in on the existing law which allows "reasonable" expenses.
Family campaigners last night welcomed plans to prevent surrogate mothers profiting from childless couples. But surrogacy agencies condemned the decision not to pay women who want to bear children for infertile people.
Surrogacy agencies in the UK will be registered for the first time and work within a new code of practice, the Department of Health said. Agencies will be expected to monitor surrogate mothers to see they are mentally fit to go ahead with the pregnancy, and statistics will be built up on the number and nature of surrogacy deals in the UK.