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Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL]

I agree entirely with the noble Baroness, Lady Barker, on the normality of a regulator being funded by the regulated bodies. The noble Lord, Lord Alton, raised an anxiety about the possible effect on the decisions made. It would be helpful if we were told whether there is any relationship between the funds received by the regulator from the regulated bodies and the nature of the decisions it makes. If there is no connection between the decisions and the volume of money received, the anxiety recedes. On the other hand, if there is a connection, then the noble Lord’s case would be advanced. Although I would think that the former was the case, I should like to be reassured about it. The noble Baroness, Lady Deech, pointed out, as have others, that it would be odd if a single member of a body was required to pay particular attention to ethics and to ensure that everyone else also paid particular attention. The duty should lie equally on all members. She preceded the point with the interesting statement that there is only one ethics: the ethics set in law. It seems that we are at a point where events are always proceeding ahead of the law, so it is constantly necessary to bear in mind the ethical questions raised by new developments. Again, it is unfortunate that we could not have discussed a bioethical advisory body at the beginning of our debates. I hope that the usual channels and business managers will find a method of devising a grouping to allow us to do that at the beginning of Report stage, because it is central to this law.