The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill 2007-8
Briefings from the Christian Medical Fellowship
Background
The 1990 HFE Act requires that IVF clinics must have regard for the need for a father of any child resulting from IVF treatment. This provision has not prevented women having IVF in the absence of a legal father, but has sent out an important message and encouraged women without a partner to make provision for a father figure.
Radical proposals
The Bill proposes removing the 1990 provision and clauses now allow a woman to have fertility treatment in partnership with another woman, and for that second woman to have legal parenthood.
Another clause states 'no man is to be treated as the father of the child' and thereby legally prevents some children from ever having a father. For various reasons (separation or death) some children cannot have a mother and a father, but Parliament is now proposing deliberately to create fatherless children. There will be legal fictions on some birth certificates.
Comment
Health and social science research confirm that children from stable families with two parents are happier, healthier, and do better in education and employment. We have seen the social consequences of fatherless children and society has recently legislated for penalties against absent fathers. The signal sent by these proposals flies in the face of that growing public recognition of the need for a father.
CMF policy
We strongly uphold the historic Christian teaching that children should be born into a family headed by two parents of the opposite sex, legally married for life. 'Defending the fatherless' is a Christian duty. We believe it is fundamentally wrong to create children without any regard for 'the need of that child for a father'.
The 'rights' of adults to become parents should always be secondary to the welfare and best interests of the child.
Amendment lost in the Lords –
Retaining the 'need for a father' was lost by 93-164.
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