Office of the Leader of the House of Commons

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill

Key Benefits The Bill would update regulation of assisted reproduction and embryo research to take account of technological advances and changes in public attitudes. Ensuring regulation is fit for purpose and reflective of modern society; and Helping maintain the UK's position as a world leader in reproductive technologies and research; Promoting public confidence. Ensuring that the creation and use of all human embryos outside the body - whatever the process used in their creation - are subject to regulation; A ban on selecting the sex of offspring for non-medical reasons; Retention of a duty to take account of "the welfare of the child" when providing fertility treatment; Provisions to recognise same-sex couples as legal parents of children conceived through the use of donated sperm, eggs or embryos; Altering restrictions on the use of HFEA-collected data to allow appropriate follow-up research; Provisions increasing the scope of legitimate embryo research activities.

Bill Text

Explanatory Notes

Territorial Extent
United Kingdom
Theme
Economic Stability

The subject matter of the bill is reserved and extends to the whole of the UK. There are however a small number of consequential provisions to implement the changes to legal parenthood in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Related Documents

Joint Committee report on the Draft Bill (August 2007)
Human Tissue and Embryo (Draft) Bill (May 2007)
White Paper: Review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (including establishment of the Regulatory Authority for Tissue and Embryos) (December 2006)

Existing Legislation in this area

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990

Comments

If you have any comments on the Bill you can email them to:

review-hfe-act@dh.gsi.gov.uk