STEM CELL RESEARCH

Early day motion 1094, tabled 26 October 2000 by Evan Harris (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 18 members.

That this House notes the findings of the report of the Chief Medical Officer, Donaldson Report, into the ethics and practice of embryonic stem cell research, so-called therapeutic cloning; supports its recommendation that the provisions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 be extended to allow the use of embryonic cells up to 14 days old for research into treatments for degenerative diseases, cancer, spinal injury and mitochondrial diseases in addition to the existing proposals already allowed; further supports its recommendation of a new law banning human reproductive cloning which is already not permitted by the 1990 Act; welcomes the Department of Health's support for these recommendations; notes that Parliament will soon be given a change to decide on the statutory instrument on a free vote; further welcomes the support of the Parkinson's Disease Society, the Medical Research Council, the Association of Medical Research Charities, the British Heart Foundation, the Genetic Interest Group, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics and the British Medical Association for these proposals; and calls on honourable Members to support the forthcoming regulation to extend the provision of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990.

Signatures by party: Labour 12, Liberal Democrat 3, Conservative 2, Labour/Co-operative 1.