Mark's views on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill

I am aware that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill which is currently passing through the House of Lords is creating considerable debate within the constituency.  This is an area of religious and personal conscience and as such will create contention between different sectors of society.  Having listened to the differing views and evidence that have been forwarded I would like to outline my position on this Bill.

Embryo experimentation and cloning

We currently allow the creation of and experiments on human embryos up to 14 days development. The Lib Dems have previously supported therapeutic cloning and I welcome the new regulation on human embryos outside of the body. There are already strict rules in place regarding human embryo research: the HFEA already requires that human embryo research can only take place if there are no alternative techniques to achieve the same ends and the research can be shown to be necessary or desirable.

The Bill also calls for the regulation of inter-species embryos for scientific research - allowing them to be created for the purposes of scientific research if the project is necessary or desirable under HFEA license.   

I believe that progress in these areas is needed and could improve the lives of countless numbers of people who are suffering with debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Cystic Fibrosis and Parkinson’s disease.     

Fatherhood

The bill retains the duty to take account of the 'welfare of the child' in providing fertility treatment, but removes the reference to 'the need for a father'.

I believe that this provision, introduced by the Conservatives in the 1990 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, discriminates against lesbian couples and single women 'solo mothers’ wishing to have treatment to have children.  By requiring the role of a father to be considered in applications for treatment under the Act, lesbian couples would be prevented from accessing safe, licensed clinics to start a family.  There is good evidence that the children of lesbian parents are at no disadvantage compared to children of mixed sex couples.  I therefore support the Government proposals to take into account the need for supportive parenting.  

Abortion

Although the bill does not include abortion, it may be used by those seeking to amend the 1967 Act.  These may include a reduction of the current 24 week upper limit and a compulsory cooling off period between diagnosis of pregnancy and access to abortion to allow for more counselling/information.

I support the move to reduce the maximum number of weeks of gestation to 22 weeks or less for all abortions.  With medical progress it is now possible to keep premature babies alive from as young as 22 weeks.  I believe it is therefore wrong that in the same hospital you can abort a twenty four week old foetus while on another ward use medical progress to keep a twenty two week old baby alive.   I also I agree that the advice for women considering an abortion needs to be honest and clear outlying the physical and mental dangers of the procedure.