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Proceeding contribution from Lord Patten (Conservative) in the House of Lords on Tuesday, 15 January 2008. It occurred during Debate on bill on Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL].


Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL]

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Winston, for his intervention. He has a particular understanding. Alas, I do not think that the Minister has satisfied the House on the points made by the noble Lord, Lord Neill of Bladen, and others about what this term means, let alone what the phrase ““the human end”” means. Different interpretations have doubtless been given by the scientific community, but this is not the scientific community’s Bill; it is the Government’s Bill. The Government owe it to this House to have absolute clarity, because this House should not legislate about that which it cannot define. I return to my second point. On parliamentary process, we seem to be going quite a long way from the 1990 Act. We do not have this phrase in the 1990 Act. It has not been subject to parliamentary scrutiny. There are constitutional issues about the way in which these amendments have been introduced. These issues will be discussed in this place and another place. However, I end as I began. I would be grateful to know when the Minister first coined or knew of the phrase ““human admixture”” in the context of the Bill.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
697 c1193-4 
Session
2007-08
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
Animals Congenital abnormalities Fertility Licensing Human embryo experiments Diseases Genetics Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Ethics IVF Research Stem cells Human-animal hybrid embryos
Legislation
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill (HL) 2007-08
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk