§ Miss Fookesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps, in advance of the Warnock committee's findings, to ban schemes involving surrogate mothers.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI am aware of and share the widespread concern about such schemes. The use of surrogate mothers to bear children on behalf of women who are themselves unable to do so raises very complex issues and is one of a number of recent developments in human fertilisation which are being examined by the Government's inquiry into human fertilisation and embryology. I know the inquiry has taken evidence from a large number of bodies and is looking at this particular question very closely. I believe that we must await the considered advice of the inquiry before reaching decisions on the very difficult legal and ethical problems involved.