§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to ensure that human cloning will not be allowed to occur in the United Kingdom either directly or through research material obtained from other countries. [4141]
§ Ms JowellWe regard the deliberate cloning of human individuals as ethically unacceptable. Under United Kingdom law, cloning of individual humans cannot take place whatever the origin of the material and whatever technique is used.
Research into some serious inherited illnesses in humans, such as some forms of encephalomyopathy, cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes, can take place using cloning techniques. However, where such research involves the use of human embryos it is strictly controlled under the terms of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 which would require a licence to be issued by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.