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Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL]

My Lords, I have two simple points to make that have not been made so far in this debate but which I think are important. Throughout our consideration of the Bill at all stages, the issue of how this House uses and refers to scientific research and scientific opinion will recur. It is important right from the outset that we get into the habit of referring accurately to the scientific information and research as it is presented to us. A number of noble Lords in this debate have pointed out that Professor Ian Wilmut, the famous creator of Dolly the sheep, announced in December that he would in future pursue research only on adult stem cells. No one has added that he also stated in December that, although he had taken that decision, he was very firmly of the view that it was important that embryonic and other types of stem cell research should be funded and continue, because only if all avenues were pursued would the scientific community, drawing as it does from knowledge gained in the different disciplines, get to the eventual end point, which is therapy. I make that point because my noble friend Lady Williams of Crosby quoted a number of professors from America. I am not in a position to evaluate those statements because I do not know well enough the context in which they were made. For now and for the rest of the debate, however, I wish us to take great care in how we use the information that is presented to us. I know that my noble friend, who presented the case very cogently in Committee, is concerned that there is fashion in science research and that it may be that embryonic stem cell research, as opposed to adult stem cell research, continues to be in fashion. I reiterate that we on these Benches agree with her that when government come to take funding decisions about research, they should continue to ensure that there is adequate funding for all forms of research. That funding may have to take into account the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Patten, that commercial resources may go to particular types of funding rather than to others and that government may have to balance that out, but it is important that we should say in this House not only that these different types of research should continue to be important but that funding should follow them. Therefore, for those reasons, we on the Front Bench in this debate do not support my noble friend, although we do understand the important basis of her argument.