Human Embryos (Hansard, 20 December 1984)

§ Sir Ian Percival (Stockport)
I beg to ask leave to present to the House a petition from the residents of the town of Southport, which I have the honour to represent. It is signed by 2,150 persons. It was raised by members of the Merseyside community standards association, care campaigns, Life and the Elim Pentecostal church. It concerns one of the most important and difficult subjects to come before the House in my time. I congratulate those who have gone to the trouble of making their opinions known. I wish to let them and this House know that I share their concern.
In this petition, my constituents affirm that the newly fertilised human embryo is a real, living, individual human being. Therefore, they welcome the statement in the report of the committee of inquiry into human fertilisation and embryology—the Warnock report—that The status of the embryo is a matter of fundamental principle which should be enshrined in legislation and its recommendation that the embryo of the human species should be afforded protection in law. My petitioners conclude: Wherefore your petitioners pray that the House of Commons will take immediate steps to enact legislation which forbids any procedure which 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). And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray etc.

§ Rev. Martin Smyth (Belfast, South)
Mr. Speaker, I beg to ask leave to present a petition in the name of the Rev. Sidney Garland, minister of Finaghy evanelical presbyterian church and signed by 5,944 of my constituents and some friends. Many of them are associated with Care Campaigns, Life, and the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children. Most important, they come from across the political and religious spectrum.
The petition welcomes the statement in the report of the committee of inquiry into human fertilisation and embryology—the Warnock report—that The status of the embryo is a matter of fundamental principle which should be enshrined in legislation", and its recommendation that the embryo of the human species should be afforded protection in law. I associate myself with those sentiments and the petitions's prayer, which reads: Wherefore your petitioners pray that the House of Commons will take immediate steps to enact legislation which forbids any procedure which 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). And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray etc.

§ Mr. Gwilym Jones (Cardiff, North)
Mr. Speaker, I beg to ask leave to present four petitions with well over 2,000 signatures, mainly from Cardiff, North, the constituency which I have the honour to represent. They are forthcoming in response to our Government's invitation to comment on the Warnock report. The petitions have been organised by Miss Dorothy Bird of 674 Rhiwbina, Mrs. Brace Jones of Rhiwbina, Miss Jennifer Wilson on behalf of St. Mark's' church, Gabalfa, and Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Dart of Whitchurch on behalf of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, Cardiff.
I seek to present their petitions in great appreciation of the extremely important points they raise. There are many things that I could say about this subject, but this time I shall confine myself to the traditional quotation, which reads: Wherefore your petitioners pray that the House of Commons will take immediate steps to enact legislation which forbids any procedure which 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 soley for the benefit of the embryo concerned). And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray etc.

§ Mr. Robert Jackson (Wantage)
I beg to ask leave to present two petitions on the protection of the human embryo, one in the name of Douglas Reed of 67 Park road, Didcot, signed by 1,397 signatories, and the other signed by 153 signatories from Wantage and its surrounding districts. The petitioners pray that, the House of Commons will take immediate steps to enact legislation which forbids any procedure which 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 weight of opinion represented by these and other petitions should be taken fully into account by the Government and the House in the framing of legislation on this important subject, which touches the consciences of so many people.

§ Mr. Michael Hirst (Strathkelvin and Bearsden)
I beg to ask leave to present a petition on behalf of 4,441 of my constituents. The petition was initiated by Mrs. Phoebe McAuley of Lenzie, Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow, who is the secretary of the Strathkelvin branch of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children. I warmly support the prayer of my petitioners, that, the House of Commons will take immediate steps to enact legislation which forbids any procedure which involves purchase or sale of human embryos, the discarding of human embryos, their use as sources of transplant tissue or as subjects tor research or experiment (unless this is done solely for the benefit of the embryo concerned). And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray etc.

§ Mr. Colin Moynihan (Lewisham, East)
I beg to ask leave to present three petitions from residents in and around the Lewisham, East constituency. The first petition was initiated by Miss Elizabeth Fleming of 47 Lock chase in Blackheath; the second was initiated by Miss Sheila Dunn of 74 Heathlee road in Blackheath; the third was initiated by Dr. and Mrs. McAllister of 21 LeMay avenue in Grove Park, the latter containing 3,565 signatures. The size of the response reflects the great concern felt by my constituents on this subject.
All three petitions are couched in identical terms and are entitled, "Petition for the protection of the human embryo". My constituents are responding to the Government's invitation to comment on the report of the Warnock committee. My petitioners welcome the statement in the report of the committee of inquiry into human fertilisation and embryology that, 675 The status of the embryo is a matter of fundamental principle which should be enshrined in legislation". and its recommendation that the embryo of the human species should be afforded protection in law. My petitioners conclude: Wherefore your petitioners pray that the House of Commons will take immediate steps to enact legislation which forbids any procedure which 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). And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray etc.