Surrogacy expenses to be capped

Expenses paid to surrogate mothers could be capped following an independent review of surrogacy law announced by the Government yesterday.

Tessa Jowell (left), the health minister, said that a team of three experts will investigate whether a body should be set up to regulate the arrangements made by childless couples to women who agree to bear children for them.

Surrogacy must not be commercialised and a surrogate mother cannot be forced to give up her baby if she changes her mind. Parents are allowed to pay surrogate mothers or give them expenses but it is illegal for a third party to profit from a surrogacy arrangement.