Clause 30
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords]
4:35 pm
Dawn Primarolo (Minister of State (Public Health), Department of Health; Bristol South, Labour)
I said that I would make some brief remarks, but I had not realised how brief they would be.
The definition of a human admixed embryo was amended during Committee of the whole House to include a catch-all provision. That captures all embryos containing both human and animal DNA in which the animal DNA does not predominate. The amendment was tabled following extensive discussions on definitions during the passage of the Bill through another place. The amendment also removed the power to extend the definitions of human admixed embryos through secondary legislation, as it was no longer required following the introduction of the new catch-all definition. Those amendments were accepted by the House.
In addition, an amendment was passed to insert a new regulation-making power to specify circumstances in which the keeping or use of human admixed embryos would be prohibited. The amendments tabled in this group are consequential to those tabled during the Committee of the whole House. They take out references to the regulation-making power to extend the list of human admixed embryos from clauses 30 and 31, which deal with the exercise of regulation-making powers under the Bill and the power to make consequential provisions in certain cases respectively.
The amendments also insert a reference to the new power into clause 30 to ensure that any regulations under the provision would be subject to debate in both Houses—the affirmative procedure. In that sense, they follow directly on from the decisions made in Committee of the whole House. The amendments extend no further principles in the Bill, but they tidy up the legislation and remove powers that are no longer required.