HL Deb 09 July 1982 vol 432 cc1000-1

11.21 a.m.

Lady Saltoun

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of widespread public concern, they will consider setting up an all-party committee to investigate the social, legal and medical implications of AID foetus implants and in-vitro fertilisation.

Lord Lyell

My Lords, the Government are currently giving careful consideration to the need for a broadly based inquiry to consider the complex issues which arise from recent and prospective developments in human fertilisation techniques.

Lady Saltoun

My Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Lord for that Answer and, in view of it, I do not think that I shall pursue the matter any further, except to ask whether he will keep me informed of any decisions that are reached on the subject.

Lord Lyell

My Lords, I gladly give that assurance to the noble Lady, and I would also assure her, and indeed your Lordships, that the Government share the concern about the implications of all these techniques and indeed the three sides of the problem that have been posed by the noble Lady in her Question. The Government accept that there might be the need for an inquiry to consider in depth all the delicate questions that arise from this matter and other associated matters.

Lord Davies of Leek

My Lords, I hope that in that case the House as a whole will be informed.

Lord Lyell

My Lords, if the noble Lord wishes to put down a specific Question on any aspects of these techniques, I shall do my best to inform him.

The Lord Bishop of Rochester

My Lords, is the Minister aware that where we are concerned with human relationships, we are anxious that not only the social, legal and medical implications, but in addition some of the acute moral problems that arise should also be considered by any committee that is set up?

Baroness Seear

My Lords, may I—

Lord Lyell

My Lords, if I may attempt to answer the right reverend Prelate at once, I would say that the form of any prospective inquiry of this kind would need very careful consideration. If I may give one example, I would say that it would be important that proper thought be given to the membership and, indeed, the terms of reference. All the aspects raised by the right reverend Prelate would have to be included if any inquiry that were set up were to fulfil its purpose.

Baroness Seear

My Lords, I think that the noble Lord implied that the Government might set up such an inquiry. May I very strongly urge that they should do so, and should do so reasonably quickly? There are an increasing number of people who are very worried about the implications of these practices and would very much like to see a thorough, authoritative, well-informed investigation taking place.

Lord Lyell

My Lords, I am grateful for the support (if I may put it that way) of the noble Baroness, and I shall convey to my right honourable friend her wishes regarding the urgency in this matter.

Lord Leatherland

My Lords, will the noble Lord assure us that in connection with this matter there will be no interference with, or an embargo upon, the normal processes that are followed?

Lord Lyell

My Lords, I am afraid that I lost the last few words of the noble Lord's sentence. If I understood correctly, he was referring to the normal processes, and I would hope that there would not be interference or an embargo. But I shall leave it there.

Lord Campbell of Alloway

My Lords, will my noble friend the Minister agree that without safeguards and serious study of safeguards, this new technique could imperil the dignity of the human race, threaten the welfare of children, and destroy the sanctity of family life?

Lord Lyell

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend. Indeed, what he says is entirely a strong possibility, and I am sure that his comments will be borne in mind by my right honourable friend in considering all the remarks that have been made in your Lordships' House today.

Lord Avebury

The noble Lord, Lord Campbell of Alloway, stated what would be the conclusions of such a committee, were it to be set up. But, my Lords, is there not a preliminary question which must be determined before a study is conducted of a particular issue such as implantation of foetuses? That question is, where do the Government draw the boundaries around the clinical freedom of doctors to do what they consider to be best in the interests of their patients? Has not that to be sorted out first, before one conducts an inquiry into a particular aspect of medical treatment?

Lord Lyell

My Lords, were an inquiry to be instituted, no doubt the noble Lord's point would be one of the many that would have to be raised. I think that we should leave all the comments that have been made today to be examined by my right honourable friend. Then, if my right honourable friend were to think of setting up an inquiry, he could take into account any of the issues in any order which he, or indeed the inquiry, thought fit.