§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why they seek to appoint to the HFEA only those people who have no "personal convictions" (HC Deb. 14th February 1995, cols. 909–910), concerning the techniques that the HFEA is required to regulate, seeing that those professionals who perform the 58WA techniques, and all the others whom they appoint, will hold the "personal conviction" that the techniques are morally acceptable, and why this "personal conviction" is not held to be as likely as any other to affect their ability properly to "examine and advise on these sensitive issues" (HC Deb., col. 909); and
Why they consider the exclusion of people within one range of "personal convictions" from, and the inclusion of people within another range of "personal convictions" in, the HFEA can provide a "broad and balanced set of views" (HC Deb.,) 14th February 1995, col. 909), and will they now ensure that they themselves (and the HFEA) are assisted by a professional philosopher to help them avoid logical and ethical confusions.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege):Members of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority are expected to participate in all the authority's functions, including visiting, inspecting and making decisions about licences for clinics which carry out regulated fertility treatments and embryo research. No individual is excluded from membership of the authority because of their personal convictions. However, it is important before appointing members to ascertain whether they have any personal convictions which they feel may make it difficult for them to participate in the full range of the authority's activities. Through the authority's membership it has access to a range of informed moral and ethical views.