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Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL]

My Lords, I had no plan to speak in this debate; indeed, I promised our colleagues on the Door that I would not. We joked about it, so I must offer my apologies. I agree absolutely with everything that the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, said, but I want to speak about the rights of the child. The Mental Capacity Act refers to the child having capacity; if they do not have capacity, it is important for the professionals to consider their best interests. If we could hold to that, we would be doing pretty well. I happen to know two tiny children who were born at 25 weeks with very severe cerebral palsy. They were natural births. Those two children cannot breathe naturally; they have to be helped to breathe. They will never talk. They lie on their backs and can do nothing. My belief is that there are children, born at those very early ages, who are not viable people. It would be in their best interests to have been aborted. There rests my case. We need to consider the best interests of these babies.