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73

 

House of Commons

 
 

Tuesday 3rd June 2008

 

Public Bill Committee

 

New Amendments handed in are marked thus Parliamentary Star

 

Other Amendments not tabled within the required notice period are marked thus Parliamentary Star - white

 

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords]


 

(Except Clauses 4, 11, 14 and 23, Schedule 2, and any new Clauses or new Schedules relating


 

to the termination of pregnancy by registered medical practitioners)


 

Note

 

The Amendments have been arranged in accordance with the Resolution of the

 

Programming Sub-Committee [2nd June 2008].

 


 

Resolution of the Programming Sub-Committee

 

The Programming Sub-Committee appointed by the Speaker in respect of the Bill

 

agreed  the  following  Resolution  at  its  meeting  on  Monday  2nd  June  (Standing  Order

 

No. 83C):

 

That—

 

(1)  

the Committee shall (in addition to its first meeting at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday

 

3rd June) meet—

 

(a)  

at 4.00 p.m. on Tuesday 3rd June;

 

(b)  

at 9.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. on Thursday 5th June;

 

(c)  

at 10.30 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. on Tuesday 10th June;

 

(d)  

at 9.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. on Thursday 12th June;

 

(e)  

at 10.30 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. on Tuesday 17th June;

 

(2)  

the proceedings shall be taken in the following order: Clauses 1 to 3; Clause

 

5; Schedule 1; Clauses 6 to 10; Clauses 12 and 13; Schedules 3 and 4; Clauses

 

15 to 22; Clauses 24 to 28; Schedule 5; Clauses 29 to 56; Schedule 6; Clauses

 

57 to 65; Schedule 7; Clause 66; Schedule 8; Clauses 67 to 69; new Clauses

 

(not relating to the termination of pregnancy by registered medical

 

practitioners); new Schedules (not relating to the termination of pregnancy by

 

registered medical practitioners); remaining proceedings on the Bill.

 

(3)  

the proceedings shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a

 

conclusion at 7.00 p.m. on Tuesday 17th June.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 3rd June 2008                  

74

 

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords ], continued

 
 

Dawn Primarolo has given notice of her intention to move a motion in the terms of the

 

Resolution of the Programming Sub-Committee [Standing Order No. 83C].

 


 

Dawn Primarolo

 

To move, That, subject to the discretion of the Chairman, any written evidence received

 

by the Committee shall be reported to the House for publication.

 


 

Mark Simmonds

 

16

 

Clause  1,  page  1,  line  10,  after second ‘embryo’, insert ‘where fertilisation is

 

complete’.

 

Mark Simmonds

 

17

 

Clause  1,  page  1,  line  14,  at end insert—

 

‘(c)    

for this purpose fertilisation is not complete until the appearance of a two

 

cell zygote.’.

 

Mark Simmonds

 

18

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  5,  leave out from second ‘eggs’ to ‘but’ in line 6.

 

Mark Simmonds

 

19

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  10,  leave out from second ‘sperm’ to ‘and’ in line 11.

 

Mark Simmonds

 

20

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  12,  leave out ‘be read accordingly’ and insert ‘live human

 

gametes’.

 

Mark Simmonds

 

21

 

Clause  1,  page  2,  leave out lines 13 to 21.

 

Mr David Amess

 

121

 

Parliamentary Star - white    

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  13,  leave out subsection (5).

 

Mr David Amess

 

122

 

Parliamentary Star - white    

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  14,  leave out ‘or’ and insert ‘and’.

 

Mr David Amess

 

123

 

Parliamentary Star - white    

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  15,  after ‘medicine’, insert ‘taking account of the bioethical


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 3rd June 2008                  

75

 

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords ], continued

 
 

considerations of such developments’.

 

Mr David Amess

 

124

 

Parliamentary Star - white    

Clause  1,  page  2,  line  16,  after ‘section 4A’, insert ‘and section 3ZA’.

 


 

Mr William Cash

 

Mr Edward Leigh

 

14

 

Clause  3,  page  3,  line  1,  leave out subsection (5).

 

Mark Simmonds

 

Mr Andrew Lansley

 

1

 

Clause  3,  page  3,  line  7,  at the end insert ‘except when the egg has in prescribed

 

circumstances undergone a prescribed process designed to prevent the transmission of

 

serious or life-threatening mitochondrial diseases.’.

 

Mark Simmonds

 

Mr Andrew Lansley

 

Mr David Amess

 

2

 

Clause  3,  page  3,  leave out lines 19 to 24.

 

Mr David Amess

 

139

 

Parliamentary Star - white    

Clause  3,  page  3,  line  24,  at end insert ‘but this process must be by exchange of

 

gamete pronuclei not by transfer of somatic cell nuclei, and regulations must not be

 

permitted to be drafted until this procedure is reasonably considered to be safe.’.

 

Mr David Amess

 

140

 

Parliamentary Star - white    

Clause  3,  page  3,  line  24,  at end insert ‘but regulations cannot allow a permitted

 

egg or embryo to be created, altered or derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer.’.

 

Mr David Amess

 

141

 

Parliamentary Star - white    

Clause  3,  page  3,  line  24,  at end insert ‘but regulations may not be permitted to be

 

drafted until the specific procedure is reasonably considered to be safe, and the permitted

 

egg or embryo may not be created, altered or derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer.’.

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

118

 

Parliamentary Star - white    

Clause  3,  page  3,  line  24,  at end insert—

 

‘(5A)    

Regulations may provide that—

 

(a)    

an egg can be a permitted egg, or

 

(b)    

a sperm can be a permitted sperm, even though the egg or sperm has been

 

developed from one or more human cells in a prescribed process

 

designed to treat infertility.

 

(5B)    

Regulations under subsection (5A) may—


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 3rd June 2008                  

76

 

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords ], continued

 
 

(a)    

provide that any sperm be developed from one or more cells of a genetic

 

male and any egg be derived from one or more cells of a genetic female.

 

(b)    

specify, or otherwise restrict, the nature of the infertility which the

 

prescribed process is intended to treat.’.

 

Mark Simmonds

 

Mr Andrew Lansley

 

Mr William Cash

 

Mr David Amess

 

3

 

Clause  3,  page  3,  line  29,  leave out subsection (6) and insert—

 

‘(6)    

 

(a)    

A person who places in a woman a human embryo which has been

 

created otherwise than by fertilisation is guilty of an offence.

 

(b)    

A person who is guilty of the offence specified in paragraph (a) is liable

 

on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10

 

years or a fine or both.’.

 

Mr David Amess

 

125

 

Parliamentary Star - white    

Clause  3,  page  3,  line  29,  leave out subsection (6) and insert—

 

‘(6)    

The Human Reproductive Cloning Act 2001 (c. 23) (which is not superseded by

 

the preceding provisions of this section) continues to have effect with the

 

following amendment:

 

(a)    

In section 1 (the offence) in subsection (1) after “fertilisation” insert “of

 

a permitted egg with a permitted sperm to create a permitted embryo”.

 

(b)    

After section 2 insert section 3:

 

“3      

Interpretation

 

Reference to a “permitted egg”, “permitted sperm” or “permitted

 

embryo” (which includes the singular and the plural), is a

 

reference to the term as defined in section 3ZA (1) to (4) of the

 

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008.”’.

 

Mr William Cash

 

Mr Edward Leigh

 

Mr David Amess

 

15

 

Clause  3,  page  3,  line  29,  leave out subsection (6).

 

Mr David Amess

 

138

 

Parliamentary Star - white    

Clause  3,  page  3,  line  30,  at end insert—

 

‘(7)    

In this Act or in this section, a permitted egg, permitted sperm or permitted

 

embryo may not be created, altered or derived by or from—

 

(a)    

cloning,

 

(b)    

genetic modification,

 

(c)    

artificial gametes, or

 

(d)    

somatic cell nuclear transfer.’.

 



 
 

Public Bill Committee: 3rd June 2008                  

77

 

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords ], continued

 
 

Mark Simmonds

 

22

 

Schedule  1,  page  54,  line  4,  at end insert—

 

‘(za)    

at end of sub-paragraph (2) insert—

 

    

“and no person may be appointed for more than six years in

 

total”.’.

 

Mark Simmonds

 

23

 

Schedule  1,  page  54,  line  17,  at end add—

 

‘4         

In sub-paragraph 8(2), after “experience”, insert “in at least one of the

 

activities that may be licensed under this Act”.

 


 

Mark Simmonds

 

24

 

Clause  6,  page  5,  line  21,  at end insert—

 

‘(2a)    

After each mention of “embryos” insert “and hybrid embryos”.’.

 

Mark Simmonds

 

Mr Andrew Lansley

 

4

 

Clause  6,  page  5,  line  35,  leave out subsection (3).

 


 

Mark Simmonds

 

25

 

Page  6,  line  11,  leave out Clause 8.

 


 

Mark Simmonds

 

26

 

Page  8,  line  3,  leave out Clause 10.

 


 

Dawn Primarolo

 

39

 

Clause  12,  page  8,  leave out line 31 and insert—

 

‘(1)    

Section 12 of the 1990 Act (general conditions of licences under that Act) is

 

amended as follows.

 

(2)    

In’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 3rd June 2008                  

78

 

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords ], continued

 
 

Dawn Primarolo

 

40

 

Clause  12,  page  8,  line  37,  at end insert—

 

‘(3)    

In subsection (2)—

 

(a)    

omit the “and” at the end of paragraph (a), and

 

(b)    

at the end of paragraph (b) insert “, and

 

(c)    

every licence under paragraph 3 of that Schedule, so far

 

as authorising activities in connection with the

 

derivation from embryos of stem cells that are intended

 

for human application.”.’.

 


 

Dr Vincent Cable

 

12

 

Schedule  3,  page  59,  line  19,  leave out ‘sub-paragraph 2’ and insert ‘sub-

 

paragraphs 2 to 2(A)’.

 

Dawn Primarolo

 

64

 

Schedule  3,  page  59,  line  22,  leave out from ‘disability’ to ‘and’ in line 27 and

 

insert ‘(a “person unable to sign”), and any notice under paragraph 4 by a person unable

 

to sign varying or withdrawing a consent under this Schedule, is to be taken to comply

 

with the requirement of sub-paragraph (1) as to signature if it is signed at the direction of

 

the person unable to sign, in the presence of the person unable to sign’.

 

Dr Vincent Cable

 

11

 

Schedule  3,  page  59,  line  28,  at end insert—

 

‘(2A)    

A consent under this Schedule by a deceased person from whom gametes have

 

been retrieved posthumously may be deemed to have been given and not

 

withdrawn if the consultant from whom the couple together were receiving advice

 

or treatment confirms in writing that the deceased was, at the date of death, either

 

receiving treatment or receiving advice in respect of a clear and settled intention

 

to have a child with his partner.’.

 

Mark Simmonds

 

27

 

Schedule  3,  page  59,  line  35,  after ‘storage’, insert ‘, embryo testing’.

 

Mark Simmonds

 

28

 

Schedule  3,  page  59,  leave out lines 36 to 40.

 

Dawn Primarolo

 

65

 

Schedule  3,  page  60,  line  1,  leave out sub-paragraph (4) and insert—

 

    ‘(4)  

For sub-paragraph (2) substitute—

 

  “(2)  

A consent to the storage of any gametes, any embryo or any human

 

admixed embryo must—


 
 

Public Bill Committee: 3rd June 2008                  

79

 

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords ], continued

 
 

(a)    

specify the maximum period of storage (if less than the

 

statutory storage period),

 

(b)    

except in a case falling within paragraph (c), state what is

 

to be done with the gametes, embryo or human admixed

 

embryo if the person who gave the consent dies or is

 

unable, because the person lacks capacity to do so, to vary

 

the terms of the consent or to withdraw it, and

 

(c)    

where the consent is given by virtue of paragraph 8(2ZA)

 

or 14(2), state what is to be done with the embryo or human

 

admixed embryo if the person to whom the consent relates

 

dies,

 

            

and may (in any case) specify conditions subject to which the

 

gametes, embryo or human admixed embryo may remain in

 

storage.

 

    (2A)  

A consent to the use of a person’s human cells to bring about the

 

creation in vitro of an embryo or human admixed embryo is to be

 

taken unless otherwise stated to include consent to the use of the

 

cells after the person’s death.

 

    (2B)  

In relation to Scotland, the reference in sub-paragraph (2)(b) to the

 

person lacking capacity is to be read as a reference to the person—

 

(a)    

lacking capacity within the meaning of the Age of Legal

 

Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991, or

 

(b)    

being incapable within the meaning of section 1(6) of the

 

Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.”’.

 

Mark Simmonds

 

29

 

Schedule  3,  page  60,  line  36,  after ‘storage’, insert ‘, embryo testing’.

 

Mark Simmonds

 

30

 

Schedule  3,  page  61,  line  32,  leave out ‘12’ and insert ‘36’.

 

Mark Simmonds

 

31

 

Schedule  3,  page  61,  leave out lines 35 to 39.

 

Dawn Primarolo

 

66

 

Schedule  3,  page  62,  line  12,  after ‘(b)’ insert ‘, (ba)’.

 

Dawn Primarolo

 

67

 

Schedule  3,  page  62,  line  15,  at end insert—

 

 ‘(3ZA)  

If the Authority is satisfied that the parental consent conditions in paragraph

 

15A are met in relation to the proposed use under a licence of the human cells

 

of a person who has not attained the age of 18 years (“C”), the Authority may

 

in the licence authorise the application of sub-paragraph (3ZB) in relation to C.

 

(3ZB)  

Where the licence authorises the application of this sub-paragraph, the

 

effective consent of a person having parental responsibility for C—


 
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