FRESH calls have been made for a change in the British organ donation system, in an attempt to prevent thousands of needless deaths each year.

York Central MP Hugh Bayley and 24 other MPs have signed an Early Day Motion in Parliament, calling for change.

Britain’s current “opt-in” system means people are assumed not to want their organs used when they die, unless they have explicitly said they do. But the Early Day Motion, led by Cardiff West MP Kevin Brennan, calls for the system to be reversed, so that organs can be used unless people have explicitly objected.

Such a move is being supported by the Welsh Assembly, and Mr Brennan wants it to be implemented across the UK.

Hugh Bayley: “I do not want anybody to be pressured into donating their organs against their will but an opt-out scheme, with the safeguards proposed by the Welsh Assembly, would save many lives every year.

“I hope the Government will look at this again.”

Mr Brennan said: “There is a big shortage of organ donors in Britain, with more than 10,000 people awaiting a transplant.

“If this opt-out scheme was introduced ten years ago, an extra 2,800 people would have donated organs.

“This could make a real difference to so many people’s lives and I hope I will receive the full support of the MPs in the house.”

The opt-out scheme would see every person put on a donors’ list with the option for every person to withdraw their name from the list.

Mr Brennan said the final say would still remain with the dead person’s family.

The issue of opt-in versus opt-out was looked at in 2008, but the Government chose to retain the current system.

The Press has called for the debate to be re-opened, as part of our Lifesavers campaign, launched last December to try to increase organ donation rates.