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. 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.
