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Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL]

I am reluctant to prolong this very informative discussion, but there are one or two points that I want to make in favour of the amendment. I, too, have been greatly impressed by a number of debates on ethical issues in this House during the past 17 years or so. I have found them interesting, informative, enlightening and very responsible. However, they are piecemeal; they are highly reactive; they do not tackle any issues before the time comes to address them. As a result, decisions based on them are made hurriedly. That is not what the amendment seeks to address. Any worthwhile society has an ethical base, which it has to treat with great respect. Ours has evolved over some thousands of years and is today being challenged by a rapidly moving science, particularly medical science. There is a need for continuous examination of the series of challenges, for which we have to legislate, on ethical academic strengths. Many academics who have spoken are undoubtedly aware of the ethical issues involved and want to address them, but the raw material for doing so is scarce and not often authoritative. A commission such as is described in the amendment would provide an opportunity for different groups to debate differences. It is my experience that widely different groups can often reach an accommodation, given sufficient goodwill, time and information. I am sorry to say that a number of the objections today have been territorially based; that is, for maintenance of existing territory.