Friday, January 25, 2008

Last chance to stop hybrid embryos

Action: please lobby the Lords

From SPUC: The last chance for the House of Lords to stop the Human Fertilisation and
Embryology bill is currently scheduled for Monday 4 February. Peers will
be debating the use of human embryos in experiments. The Bill seeks, among
other things, to:

* extend the creation of embryonic children in the laboratory ('test-tube
babies')
* allow embryonic children to be abused and killed for a wider range of
research purposes
* permit the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos.
Over recent weeks, the Government and supporters of embryo research have
blocked all substantial efforts to lessen the evils of the Bill during its
passage through the Lords. Although it is unlikely that pro-life Lords will
defeat the Bill, a strong vote against it now will help and encourage MPs
to oppose the Bill when it goes to the House of Commons - probably in
mid-February. Many people wrote to the Lords in November asking them to
oppose the bill at second reading - this had great impact and helped
encourage pro-life peers in their opposition to the bill.

Please write to one or more Lords as soon as possible, urging them to move
for a vote against the Bill. You can contact peers from our page of
parliamentarians' email addresses:http://www.spuc.org.uk/lobbying/email/

You are free to write to any Lord(s) you wish. Please write to one or more
- as many as you can. The most important thing is to contact them soon, and
to urge them to vote against the bill at third reading.

3 comments:

John Kearney said...

I am getting a little confused over the status of the House of Lords. It was once the Upper House from which bills from the House of Commons went so that this non-elected assembly could voice their opinion. It was also the court of appeal for existing laws. But now we have this non-elected assembly deciding the bills and in the case of this embryo-hybrid thing actually authorising the use of licences before going to the House of Commons our elected representatives. No doubt it will not be discussed in commons but as in the case of the SOR`s will be relegated to a back room somewhere. Our democracy is being abused by this Government.

Anonymous said...

NB it wasn't the House of Lords which issues licenses for hybrids, but the HFEA jumping the gun.

Jay said...

This is very serious ethical problem with pseudo-scientific experimentation like this and thanks for posting this information. Once approved the bill can produce many abuses.

Pope Leo XIII's Prayer to St Michael

Holy Michael, Archangel, defend us in the day of battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust down to Hell Satan, and all wicked spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen