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Human Tissue and Embryos (Draft) Bill

My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Health (Dawn Primarolo) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. Today we have laid before Parliament the Government response to the Joint Committee's report on the Human Tissue and Embryos (Draft) Bill (Cm 7209). On 17 May 2007, the Government published draft legislation to revise and update the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. This was set out in the Human Tissue and Embryos (Draft) Bill. The Government welcome the establishment of a Joint Committee of both Houses to undertake pre-legislative scrutiny. The Government are grateful for the committee's report and have accepted several of the key recommendations. We believe that an improved Bill will result from this process. The Command Paper sets out the Government's response to all 31 recommendations and is available in the Library.