Heywood and Middleton MP angry at lack of Embryology debate

Controversial new legislation allowing scientists to conduct experiments using hybrid human-animal embryos has been approved by the House of Commons.

Heywood and Middleton MP Jim Dobbin was among a number of Labour backbenchers who apposed the Human Fertilisation Embryology Bill.

The third reading of the Bill was overshadowed by rows over "shabby" Government tactics, which prevented a debate on abortion law reform.

Jim Dobbin MP, Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Pro Life Group, was disappointed at how quickly the Bill was pushed through, saying that important points were not debated in Parliament.

Mr Dobbin said: "“We were extremely disappointed in the way the Government organised the debate, in a bid to rush this through. These are far reaching matters, and demanded more time, and yet we have, instead, had just four hours to discuss these vital areas.

“There was, for example, clearly insufficient time to debate quite significant aspects of the Bill, such as issues surrounding parenthood, and consent of donation of cells and tissues for research.”

“There has been a sea change in the UK’s approach to many areas. Most significantly, there will be no further liberalisation of the abortion laws, which is a major victory for the vast majority of people in the country who believe that, at nearly 600 a day, there are already far too many abortions taking place in the UK. Pro-life groups throughout the country did a tremendous job in raising awareness of this, and some of the more dangerous areas of the bill.

“But we were disappointed to have lost ground in embryology. For example it will now be legal to mix animal and human species to create hybrid embryos for research.

“The Human Reproductive Cloning Act 2001 will now be also repealed as a result of this Bill, which is an extremely worrying development.”

The Bill, which now goes to the House of Lords, has attracted controversy over its key measures, which include allowing scientists to carry out research on human-animal hybrids, relaxing guidance to make it easier for lesbians and single women to have IVF treatment and letting parents choose "saviour siblings" for seriously ill children.