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Proceeding contribution from Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench) in the House of Lords on Wednesday, 12 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 should like to make one other point about the excellent work that the Nuffield Council does and then I shall give way to the noble Baroness. I said at the outset that I have considerable admiration for it. I have seen many of its reports that warrant our detailed attention. The noble Lord, Lord Brennan, at paragraph 40 of his memorandum, cited the example of genetically modified crops, which perhaps bears out a point that the noble Lord, Lord Tombs, made: "““For example, with GM crops ““unnaturalness”” is a very major part of popular discomfort—albeit one that is often dismissed as nonsense in scientific circles. The Nuffield Council devotes two paragraphs to this in its report and concludes that it is inconsistent and not worthy of consideration””." So, it does not always get things right either. It is not enough to suggest that existing parliamentary committees, or indeed outside bodies, frequently populated by the same people, are adequate to do the job that the noble Lord, Lord Brennan, suggested. I am conscious that I did not give way to the noble Baroness earlier.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
697 c282-3 
Session
2007-08
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
Disability Disclosure of information Data protection Civil partnerships Death Abortion Congenital abnormalities Fertility Human embryo experiments Donors Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Ethics IVF Fathers Parents Parental responsibility Registration of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships Research
Legislation
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill (HL) 2007-08
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk