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Proceeding contribution from Lord Northbourne (Crossbench) in the House of Lords on Monday, 10 December 2007. It occurred during Committee of the Whole House (HL) and Debate on bill on Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL].


Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL]

I am grateful to all Members of the Committee who have spoken in this debate. It might be helpful if I read out to the Committee the definition of parental responsibility in the Children Act 1989. That English Act says in Section 3(1): "““In this Act ‘parental responsibility’ means all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which by law a parent of a child has in relation to the child and his property””." I can find no closer definition in English law. However, the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 has this definition in Section 1: "““(1) Subject to section 3(1)(b) and (3) of this Act, a parent has in relation to his child the responsibility— (a) to safeguard and promote the child’s health, development and welfare; (b) to provide, in a manner appropriate to the stage of development of the child— (i) direction; (ii) guidance, to the child””." It then goes on to two other paragraphs that are not relevant to our debate. That Scottish definition is a basis on which we could build. Would the Minister be prepared to have a meeting before Report to discuss whether there might be a compromise on including something in guidance or regulations, if not in the Bill?


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
697 c67 
Session
2007-08
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
Children Codes of practice Counselling Fertility Homosexuality Human embryo experiments Diseases Donors Ethics IVF Fathers Parents Medicine Research Stem cells
Legislation
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill (HL) 2007-08
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk