Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords]

I understand my hon. Friend's point, but I would raise with him in response the issue of what would happen if a saviour sibling were born and the umbilical cord were wrapped around the baby's neck and had to be discarded. Is my hon. Friend suggesting that the parents would have to take a decision to have another saviour sibling that would generate the particular cord blood or other tissue required to save the elder child? I do not think that that would be acceptable, which is why I believe that invasive procedures such as removal of bone marrow should, as a last resort, be allowed for saviour sibling purposes. Amendment No. 19 would remove the regulation-making power from the Secretary of State. It is a probing amendment. It would be helpful if the Minister put on record the circumstances in which embryo testing could be licensed and if she clarified which particular circumstances the Government envisaged might be changed in the process of licensing. Would it include circumstances in which seriousness is diluted even further than I believe it is at the moment? Will she also confirm that any changes to the powers for regulating saviour siblings would be put before the House in the form of regulations, requiring the affirmative resolution procedure? The issue of seriousness is relevant to amendments Nos. 15, 16 and 17 on the circumstances in which a saviour sibling can be created. They are too open to interpretation. Reservations relate to how an illness will be defined as ““serious”” and by whom. What will be serious to one party may not be so serious to others. In my view, using the words"““life-threatening or severely impairs their quality of life””" makes it more specific to an individual, which the term ““serious”” is not. I understand why the Government do not want only the term ““life-threatening”” in the Bill, which is why I have insisted that ““quality of life”” should also be in the provisions. Some serious illnesses may seriously impact on the quality of life of an individual without actually killing that individual. Clearly, a saviour sibling may resolve that particular problem.