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Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 29: 29: Schedule 2, page 55, line 16, leave out first ““abnormality”” and insert ““characteristic”” The noble Baroness said: I hope that this is a much briefer subject. It is another probing amendment, and I do not speak in any sort of dogmatic way. In embryo testing and sex selection, we feel that ““abnormality”” in these clauses is too restrictive. My understanding—and I have no experience of this—is that the characteristics of some cells, including genetic features, would occur in an otherwise healthy individual. Such a characteristic might lead to a serious risk of physical and mental disability. The example that I was given was of the apoprotein, which, if carried, gives an individual or even a family a higher risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The amendment is asking for information and for the Bill team to look at this carefully and ensure that, by using ““abnormality””, we are not excluding characteristics that might lead to disease, even though things are not abnormal at the time. This is a difficult distinction and may be semantics to some people, but it is worth looking at and I would like the Minister and the team to comment on it. I beg to move.