Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL]

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 6 and 7. I shall speak also to Amendments Nos. 10 to 12, 105, 107 and 114 to 116. During passage of the Bill through this House, debate took place on the use of embryonic stem cells, derived under a research licence, in therapeutic applications. The Government subsequently wrote to all Peers involved in those discussions setting out how, in the Government’s view, embryonic stem cells derived under an HFEA research licence could be used in therapeutic applications. These amendments were made in the light of that debate to ensure that research centres deriving embryonic stem cells, where those stem cells are intended for therapeutic use, are required to abide by the quality and safety standards set out in the European Union tissue and cells directive in relation to the stem cells and the embryos from which they are derived. The directive lays down standards of quality and safety for human tissues and cells intended for human application, including gametes and embryos. The relevant requirements already apply to embryos used in reproductive treatment as a result of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Quality and Safety) Regulations 2007. Stem cells derived from embryos are also regulated under the Human Tissue (Quality and Safety for Human Application) Regulations 2007. It is important that these standards are also applied to the embryos that are used to derive stem cells to be used in human application to ensure the necessary levels of quality and safety of any tissue to be used in treatment. Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to. 8: Page 9, line 30, leave out ““being treated”” and insert ““mentioned in subsection (6A)”” 9: Page 9, line 33, leave out ““to be treated”” and insert ““mentioned in subsection (6A)””