Written question asked by Lord Kennet (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 20 March 1995. It was answered by Baroness Cumberlege (Conservative) on Monday, 20 March 1995.

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Cumberlege, Baroness

Question

Why HMG seek to appoint to the HFEA only those people who have no "personal convictions" (HC Deb. 14th February 1995, cols. 909-910), concerning the techniques that the HFEA is required to regulate, seeing that those professionals who perform the techniques, and all the others whom they appoint, will hold the "personal conviction" that the techniques are morally acceptable, and why this "personal conviction" is not held to be as likely as any other to affect their ability properly to "examine and advise on these sensitive issues" (HC Deb., col. 909); and why they consider the exclusion of people within one range of "personal convictions" from, and the inclusion of people within another range of "personal convictions" in, the HFEA can provide a "broad and balanced set of views" (HC Deb.,) 14th February 1995, col. 909), and will they now ensure that they themselves (and the HFEA) are assisted by a professional philosopher to help them avoid logical and ethical confusions.

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Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

562 c57WA

Session

1994-95

Subjects

Human embryo experiments Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Ethics Foetal tissue Medicine Research Public morals