Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Deceased Fathers) Bill
10:30 am
Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon, Liberal Democrat)
I welcome you to the Chair, Mr. Sayeed; it is the first time that I have served in Committee under your chairmanship. As the hon. Member for Northampton, South (Mr. Clarke) knows, I generally support the Bill; indeed, I am one of its sponsors. However, that does not mean that I believe that there are not significant issues to be discussed. The amendments that I have tabled, some of which are alternatives, need to be fully debated, not least because time pressure meant that there was not a full debate on Second Reading—which, as it happens, I could not attend because of a prior commitment. The fact that there was little opposition on Second Reading—although some questions of concern were raised by at least one hon. Member—does not mean that there are not significant issues to discuss.
Obviously, I hope that we will make rapid progress because the Bill in some form—I hope in amended form—must be on the statute book. We all have other pressures on our time at this time of year, but it may well be a wise precaution to make provision for further sittings. Unless we have a full debate, at later stages in this House and in the other place, it may be difficult to give reassurances, not least to expert opinion outside, which may give rise to similar questions about some aspects of the Bill, such as those that I have raised.