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Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL]

My Lords, I had not intended to speak on this issue except to say, very briefly, that the government amendment would make it impossible, under the terms of this clause relating to saviour siblings, to transplant whole organs. That is something that I would strongly support. Indeed, I would support a prohibition on the transplantation of part organs. There is a case, which we must at least consider carefully, that umbilical cord blood produced by a sibling—or indeed bone marrow, which is much less invasive—might cure a child suffering from a major, devastating genetic disease. For that reason, I would be a little uncomfortable if the Bill were to rule out that possibility, subject always to the kind of legal considerations and approval by a judge to which the noble Baroness, Lady Deech, has referred. I would be very uncomfortable if we ruled out that possibility altogether.