Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL]

My Lords, I, too, congratulate the Government on Amendment No. 3, which is a very worthy attempt to deal with the issues which were so cogently argued by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Mackay, when this matter was last before the House. I am sufficiently attracted by certain features of the amendment now proposed by the noble Earl, Lord Howe, but at the same time I agree very much with the noble and learned Lord, Lord Mackay, that it does not seem to be necessary. Amendment No. 3 as it stands is the outcome of detailed discussions between the noble and learned Lord, Lord Mackay, the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Government and deals with a fifth category of admixed embryo. It relies on an alternative regulation-making power in new Section 4A to amend the five categories to catch any other entities. The only problem is that it still is not totally and completely inclusive in one respect: the Amendment No. 3 approach is not entirely clear in that it does not specify precisely how an embryo is to be treated where the proportion of animal DNA varies such that it may predominate at some point but not at another. I hope that the noble Lord, Lord Darzi, will deal with that in his reply. One example of that—I have received a two-page briefing from Professor Robin Lovell-Badge—is the issue of tetraploid complementation and diploid complementation, but I do not understand those sufficiently to be able to impose the details on your Lordships' House. Therefore, I leave that matter in the worthy hands of the noble Lord, Lord Darzi. I hope that he can deal with the issue as to why, in some respects, this amendment, which is very satisfactory in many ways, is not totally complete and must be kept under review by the Government in the future.