Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL]

My Lords, I support the amendment moved by the right reverend Prelate. I will not repeat the arguments I rehearsed at Second Reading and will be as brief as I can. A couple of years ago, I attended a course in child development. After one of the lectures I asked the lecturer his view on the very question that we are debating this evening. He said that he had no view but added that he was treating a young man who had been brought up in a same-sex partnership, by lesbian parents. He was treating the young man because those parents did not like men. They found men objectionable and considered them violent so this young man was recovering from an experience where his gender, his identity, was seen as objectionable in his own family. I hope that that is a one-off situation, but it is an interesting coincidence that the one time I asked the therapist that question, he pointed out that he was treating a young man who grew up in a same-sex partnership and had those issues. I would appreciate reassurance from the Minister. There must be a concern that at least some of those same-sex parents will have antipathy to the other sex. Does it not really reinforce the argument for ensuring as far as possible that there is at least a father figure for a son to turn to if he grows up in such a situation. That causes me concern. I recognise that this is a very complex matter. The noble Lord, Lord Winston, raised the issue of how you implement legislation in this area. Emphasis should be put on the need to struggle with parents to get them to consider what the needs of the child will be if, for instance, a son is born to two mothers. What additional support will that family need in terms of having a male figure to take an interest in the son? The noble Baroness, Lady Barker, asked how one would consult children on these matters. I understand that these things are difficult to do well, but the Children’s Commissioner for England, Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green, is well equipped to do that sort of consultation, and Dr Roger Morgan of Ofsted is well used to doing that for young people in care. I recognise and am grateful for the work of the Cambridge researchers in this area, Professor Susan Golombok foremost. This is clearly important work. However, to the best of my recollection, it was rather a small sample of families and the age range of children examined was only up to the age of 18. I think that it was observed that, within the two groups—the control group with non-same-sex couples and the other group with same-sex couples—incidences of young people having same-sex relations as they were growing up occurred within the group that had same-sex parents, but did not occur in the couples that were a man and a woman together. I remember the noble Lord, Lord Adonis, saying some time ago that we can always find a report to support whatever view we wish to put forward. I am sure that intentions here on all parts are of the best. This is a very emotive issue, but we need to be careful not to take just the evidence that suits us best to achieve our objectives. The Government have achieved so much for young people, in particular for young people in care. It is a very hard struggle to make a change in this area, as they are starting from such a low base, but the achievements of the Acts on children needing care, and schemes such as Quality Protects and Care Matters, are so important for these young people. I hesitate to criticise the Government in this sort of area because of those achievements. I listened this morning to the noble Baroness, Lady Morgan, giving evidence on the future of children in care and the Government’s strategy on that. The key thing is that there will now be children in care councils, and children who are in the care of a public authority will meet regularly with the leaders and other members of local authorities to tell them what their experiences of care have been and what they would like to see change. Her key principle is that the voice of children will be heard in future in this scenario. The suggestion from the right reverend Prelate that we should take the opportunity to consult children on this matter, which will concern them very much, is a helpful one. This is a vexed and difficult issue, but I hope that the Minister can offer me some reassurance, particularly about the scenario of two women bringing up a son when they do not particularly like men. If the Minister cannot provide me with reassurance on that point, I regret that I shall have to support the right reverend Prelate if he decides to divide on this amendment.