§ Sir Humphrey Atkins (Spelthorne)Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to present two petitions from residents of the borough of Spelthorne. The first petition was initiated by Mr. Christopher Redding of Ashford, Middlesex, and contains 489 signatures, and the second was initiated by the Reverend Peter Brown, the vicar of Laleham, and contains 108 signatures.
Both are in identical terms. They affirm the petitioners' belief that the newly fertilised human embryo is a real, living individual human being, and both oppose all practices which discriminate against the embryo or violate his or human dignity and right to life.
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Sir, the petitions continue as follows:
Wherefore your petitioners pray that the House of Commons will take immediate steps to enact legislation which forbids any procedure that involves purchase or sale of human embryos, the discarding of human embryos, their use as sources of transplant tissue or as subjects for research or experiment (unless this is done solely for the benefit of the embryo concerned).
The petition initiated by Mr. Redding concludes:
And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray etc.
That initiated by the Vicar of Laleham concludes:
And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray for the guidance of Almighty God upon all your deliberations etc.
To lie upon the Table.