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Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL]

My Lords, I too support the amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin of Roding, not least for the sorts of reasons that the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, has just advanced. It is true that sometimes birth certificates do not tell the truth. As the noble Lord said earlier, the concern of the Joint Committee—as I understand from reading its report—was the difference between an individual concealing truth and the state ““colluding in a deception””, to use the committee’s phrase. The noble Baroness is right; there is a series of complex questions here, some of which we have been unable to resolve during our proceedings. They are questions we should return to. This is a sensible proposal which I hope will be agreed. As the future unfolds, the changing attitudes that the noble Baroness has rightly identified might well tilt in favour of genetic, biological information truthfully being recorded on a birth certificate—I hope it will. We might also look at producing another document within whatever social arrangements obtain for bringing up a child. A social document can record other questions—perhaps the parents or those bringing up that child want to appear on that document. A social document alongside the birth certificate might be one way forward. I believe that we should not tamper with birth certificates and that they should be a true record of genealogy and lineage. Everyone is entitled to the best possible proof of their origins. At the fag end of the Bill’s consideration, I remain implacably opposed to many of its provisions. That will come as no surprise to your Lordships’ House, but I too thank the noble Baroness, Lady Royall, and the noble Lord, Lord Darzi, for their unfailing courtesy and patience in dealing with many of the objections that I and others have raised.