LORD BLACKFORDasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they now have any statement to make on the recommendations of the Departmental Committee on Human Artificial Insemination, which was presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for the Home Department and the Secretary of State for Scotland, in July, 1960, to the effect that—
A.I.H.
The fact that a live child has been born as a result of artificial insemination of a woman with the seed of her husband should be a bar to proceedings by either spouse for nullity of marriage on the ground of impotence.
A.I.D.
Acceptance by a wife of artificial insemination with the seed of a donor without the consent of her husband should be made a new ground for divorce or judicial separation, and in England these circumstances should also enable a husband to take matrimonial proceedings in a magistrates' court.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR (VIS COUNT KILMUIR)The Government see no reason to dissent from the recommendations made by the Departmental Committee on the two matters to which my noble friend refers, but I am unable to hold out any hope of its being possible to introduce legislation on this subject in the near future.
House adjourned at three minutes before nine o'clock.