§ Mr. Roger Moate (Faversham)I have pleasure in presenting to the House a petition entitled "Petition for the Protection of the Human Embryo". It has been signed by over 4,500 of my constituents who feel strongly about the need to enshrine in legislation protection for the human embryo as a real, living, individual human being and the need to oppose those practices which violate his or her human dignity and right to life.
The petition continues:
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 is duty bound, will ever pray.
§ To lie upon the Table.
§ Mr. Ivor Stanbrook (Orpington)I beg to ask leave of the House to present a petition, signed by 3,564 of my constituents, which is in similar terms to that presented by my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham (Mr. Moate). I fully support the petition, which reads:
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 embryos concerned).And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
§ To lie upon the Table.
§ Mr. Robin Squire (Hornchurch)I have the pleasure to present on behalf of 1,359 of my constituents in Hornchurch a petition in similar terms to that of my hon. Friends the Members for Faversham (Mr. Moate) and for Orpington (Mr. Stanbrook) which concludes:
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).And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
§ To lie upon the Table.
§ Mr. Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull, North)I wish to present a petition to the House on behalf of many hundreds of my constituents, some of whom are still sending me copies of this petition, in similar terms to that introduced by the hon. Members for Faversham (Mr. Moate), for Orpington (Mr. Stanbrook) and for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire). This is a particularly apt time 684 for these petitioners to come forward when people who have been involved in this type of work and experimentation are suggesting that even some of the restrictions proposed by the Warnock committee should not be accepted and, further, that it should be possible to implant human embryos into the bodies of animals.
The petition continues:
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).And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
§ To lie upon the Table.
§ Mr. Alan Howarth (Stratford-on-Avon)I beg to ask leave to present a petition entitled "Petition for the protection of the human embryo", signed by 2,200 of my constituents in Stratford-on-Avon who have expressed concern over the contents of the Warnock report. I share their concern.
The petition states:
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).And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
§ To lie upon the Table.
§ Later—
§ Mr. Michael Colvin (Romsey and Waterside)I beg to ask leave to present three petitions from residents in Romsey and Waterside entitled "Petition for the protection of the human embryo". The first was initiated by Mrs. J. Mason of 153 Woodlands road, Ashurst and contains 1,205 signatures; the second by Mr. C. F. Mackrell of 16 Fox Hills, Totton, and bears 25 signatures; the third by Mrs. E. M. Hurst of Bryn-Gower, Awbridge, and bears 29 signatures. All are in identical terms.
They affirm the petitioners' belief that the newly fertilised human embryo is a real living individual human being and they oppose all practices which discriminate against the embryo or violate his or her human dignity and right to life.
The petition continues:
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).And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will every pray etc.
§ To lie upon the Table.
§ Mr. Ian Wrigglesworth (Stockton, South)It is my pleasure to present to the House a petition for the protection of the human embryo which has been presented to me by my constituent Peta Peeris of 4 Rutherglen walk, Eaglescliffe, Cleveland, and almost 2,000 other constituents. It gives me pleasure to present the petition to the House and I hope that the Ministers responsible will take into account the strength of feeling expressed by my and many other constituents on this vital issue.
§ To lie upon the Table.