Human Embryos (Hansard, 24 January 1986)

§ Mr. Peter Thurnham (Bolton, North-East)

I beg to ask leave to present two petitions on in vitro fertilisation. The first consists of 250 signatures of residents of Bolton. The second consists of 99 signatures of the staff and patients at the Bourn Hall clinic in Cambridge. The petitioners believe that infertile couples should have the opportunity to have children of their own and that the passing of the Unborn Children (Protection) Bill would have serious effects on the treatment of patients undergoing in vitro fertilisation.

The first petition states: Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your hon. House will not support the aims of The Unborn Children (Protection) Bill. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc. The second petition states: Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your hon. House vote against the Unborn Children (Protection) Bill at Second Reading. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.

§ Mr. William Cash (Stafford)

I beg to ask leave to present a petition on behalf of national officers and chairmen of LIFE regions and groups. The petition is signed in the name of LIFE's members, who total 30,000 nationally. The total number of signatories is 203.

The petition opposes human embryo abuse. It states: The Humble Petition of officers of the organisation LIFE (Save the Unborn Child) showeth that we Affirm that the newly-fertilised human embryo is a real, living human being; Therefore we welcome the statement by the Secretary of State for Social Services on 28 January 1985 that "the Government fully recognises the importance of the ethical and moral questions to be addressed in the debate, including the status of the embryo, and they will guard against undermining the special respect that is owed to the family and children and to the creation of human life. And therefore we oppose all practices which discriminate against the human embryo or violate his/her dignity or right to life. Wherefore your Petitioners pray that the House of Commons, mindful of the Petition for the Protection of the Human Embryo, which was presented to the House of Commons in 1984/85 and bore some two million signatures, will take immediate steps to enact legislation which protects the human embryo from any practices which violate his/her dignity or right to life. And your humble Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.