Government Proposals for the Regulation of Hybrid and Chimera Embryos
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House of Commons Science and Technology Committee Government proposals for the regulation of hybrid and chimera embryos Fifth Report of Session 2006–07 Volume II Oral and written evidence Ordered by The House of Commons to be printed 28 March 2007 HC 272–ll Published on 5 April 2007 by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited £18.50 The Science and Technology Committee The Science and Technology Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Office of Science and Innovation and its associated public bodies. Current membership Mr Phil Willis MP (Liberal Democrat, Harrogate and Knaresborough)(Chairman) Adam Afriyie MP (Conservative, Windsor) Mr Robert Flello MP (Labour, Stoke-on-Trent South) Linda Gilroy MP (Labour, Plymouth Sutton) Dr Evan Harris MP (Liberal Democrat, Oxford West & Abingdon) Dr Brian Iddon MP (Labour, Bolton South East) Chris Mole MP (Labour/Co-op, Ipswich) Mr Brooks Newmark MP (Conservative, Braintree) Dr Bob Spink MP (Conservative, Castle Point) Graham Stringer MP (Labour, Manchester, Blackley) Dr Desmond Turner MP (Labour, Brighton Kemptown) Powers The Committee is one of the departmental Select Committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No.152. These are available on the Internet via www.parliament.uk Publications The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the Internet at www.parliament.uk/s&tcom A list of Reports from the Committee in this Parliament is included at the back of this volume. Committee staff The current staff of the Committee are: Dr Lynn Gardner (Clerk); Dr Celia Blacklock (Second Clerk); Dr Anne Simpson (Committee Specialist); Dr Sarah Bunn (Committee Specialist); Ana Ferreira (Committee Assistant); Robert Long (Senior Office Clerk); and Christine McGrane (Committee Secretary). Contacts All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk of the Science and Technology Committee, Committee Office, 7 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA. The telephone number for general inquiries is: 020 7219 2793; the Committee’s e- mail address is: [email protected] Government proposals for the regulation of hybrid and chimera embryos 1 Witnesses Wednesday 31 January 2007 Dr Lyle Armstrong, Lecturer, Institute of Human Genetics, University of Newcastle- Ev 1 Upon-Tyne, Professor Chris Shaw, Professor of Neurology and Neurogenetics, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College, London, and Professor Austin Smith, Director, Wellcome Trust Centre for Stem Cell Research, University of Cambridge, Ms Shirley Harrison, Chair, Angela McNab, Chief Executive and Professor Neva Ev 10 Haites, Member, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Monday 5 February 2007 Dr David King, Director, Human Genetics Alert, Dr Calum MacKellar, Director Ev 21 Scottish Council on Bioethics, and The Right Reverend Dr Lee Rayfield, Bishop of Swindon Mr Simon Denegri, Chief Executive, Association of Medical Research Charities, and Ev 28 Professor Raanon Gillon, Former Editor of the Journal of Bioethics Professor Colin Blakemore, Chief Executive, Medical Research Council, Professor Ev 32 Martin Bobrow, Deputy Chairman, Wellcome Trust, and Mr David Macauley, Chief Executive, UK Stem Cell Foundation Wednesday 28 February 2007 Caroline Flint MP, Minister for Public Health, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Ev 40 Medical Officer for England and Mr Mark Bale, Deputy-Director of Scientific Development and Bioethics, Department of Health 2 Government proposals for the regulation of hybrid and chimera embryos Written evidence 1 St Mary’s University College Ev 50 2 ProLife Alliance Ev 51 3 Reverend Christopher Johnson Ev 51 4 Cystic Fibrosis Trust Ev 51 5 Mrs Marie Rodgers Ev 52 6 The Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology, University of Cambridge Ev 52 7 Biosciences Federation Ev 54 8 European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology Ev 55 9 Scottish Council on Human Bioethics Ev 56, 154 10 Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Alzheimer’s Society Ev 61 11 Dr. Stephen Brennan, Master of the Guild of Catholic Doctors Ev 62 12 Institute of Biology Ev 62 13 Peter McCullagh Ev 64 14 North-East England Stem Cell Institute (NESCI) Ev 66 15 Dr Robin Lovell-Badge Ev 67, 155 16 Muscular Dystrophy Campaign Ev 72 17 Mary Frances Dysko Ev 74 18 Janet Cuthie and Jenny Hepburn Ev 75 19 Alzheimer Scotland Ev 75 20 Dr Lyle Armstrong, University of Newcastle upon Tyne Ev 76 21 Christian Action Research and Education (CARE) Ev 80 22 Scottish Stem Cell Network (SSCN) Ev 84 23 Christian Medical Fellowship Ev 85 24 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Ev 88 25 Motor Neurone Disease Association Ev 89 26 Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship Ev 90 27 Dr Neville Cobbe, University of Edinburgh Ev 90 28 Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) Ev 94 29 Professor Sir Martin Evans Ev 96 30 Comment on Reproductive Ethics (CORE) Ev 97 31 British Medical Association Ev 100 32 Association of Clinical Embryologists Ev 101 33 Cancer Research UK Ev 101 34 The United Kingdom National Stem Cell Network (UKNSCN) Ev 102 35 Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust Ev 105 36 Bioindustry Association Ev 107 37 Department of Health Ev 110, 167 38 Dr Elizabeth Allan Ev 114 39 Genetic Interest Group Ev 118 40 Linacre Centre for HealthCare Ethics Ev 119 41 The Academy of Medical Sciences Ev 121 42 Parkinson’s Disease Society of the United Kingdom Ev 121 Government proposals for the regulation of hybrid and chimera embryos 3 43 Cameron McLarty Ev 124 44 Centre for Regenerative Medicine, the Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh Ev 124, 162 45 Royal Society Ev 125 46 Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA) Ev 126, 158 47 Professor Thomas Baldwin, Department of Philosophy, University of York Ev 128 48 Dr Jus St. John, Lecturer in Mitochondrial and Reproductive Genetics, Medical School, University of Birmingham Ev 128, 164 49 Dr Stephen Minger, Director, Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Disease, King’s College, London Ev 129, 165, 166 50 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Ev 131 51 Human Genetics Alert Ev 132 52 Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer of England Ev 137 53 Church of Scotland, and the Church and Society Council Ev 140 54 Brethren Christian Fellowship (The Brethren) Ev 144 55 Department of Trade and Industry Ev 145 56 Professor Hui Z. Sheng Ev 147 57 The Rt Reverend Dr Lee Rayfield, Bishop of Swindon Ev 148 58 National Institute for Biological Standards & Control Ev 149 59 Responses to Letter from the Committee to experts in embryo research Ev 150 Alison Murdoch, Institute of Human Genetics, Newcastle University Ev 150 Professor David H Barlow, University of Glasgow Ev 150 Professor Jose B. Cibelli, Michigan State University Ev 150, 151 Professor Peter Braude, Kings College London Ev 151 Professor Alan Trounson, Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development Ev 151 Professor Lorraine Young, Wolfson Centre for Stem Cells, Tissue Engineering and Modelling Ev 152 Professor Richard Gardner, University of Oxford Ev 152 Dr Daniel Brison, St Mary’s Hospital Ev 153 Maureen Wood – University of Aberdeen Ev 153 Dr Luca Gianaroli, Societá Italiana Studi di Medicina della Riproduzione Ev 153 60 Chief Rabbi, Sir Jonathan Sacks Ev 158 4 Government proposals for the regulation of hybrid and chimera embryos Reports from the Science and Technology Committee in the 2005 Parliament Session 2006–07 First Report Work of the Committee in 2005-06 HC 202 Second Report Human Enhancement Technologies in Sport HC 67 Third Report The Cooksey Review HC 204 Fourth Report Research Council Institutes HC 68–l Fifth Report Government proposals for the regulation of hybrid and HC 272–l chimera embryos Sixth Report Office of Science and Innovation: Scrutiny Report 2005 and HC 203 2006 First Special Report Scientific Advice, Risk and Evidence Based Policy Making: HC 307 Government Response to the Committee’s Seventh Report of Session 2005-06 Session 2005–06 First Report Meeting UK Energy and Climate Needs: The Role of Carbon HC 578-I Capture and Storage Second Report Strategic Science Provision in English Universities: A Follow– HC 1011 up Third Report Research Council Support for Knowledge Transfer HC 995-I Fourth Report Watching the Directives: Scientific Advice on the EU Physical HC 1030 Agents (Electromagnetic Fields) Directive Fifth Report Drug classification: making a hash of it? HC 1031 Sixth Report Identity Card Technologies: Scientific Advice, Risk and HC 1032 Evidence Seventh Report Scientific Advice, Risk and Evidence Based Policy Making HC 900–I First Special Report Forensic Science on Trial: Government Response to the HC 427 Committee’s Seventh Report of Session 2004-05 Second Special Strategic Science Provision in English Universities: HC 428 Report Government Response to the Committee’s Eighth Report of Session 2004-05 Third Special Report Meeting UK Energy and Climate Needs: The Role of Carbon HC 1036 Capture and Storage: Government Response to the Committee’s First Report of Session 2005-06 Fourth Special Strategic Science Provision in English Universities: A Follow– HC 1382 Report up: Government Response to the Committee’s Second Report of Session 2005-06 Fifth Special Report Research Council Support for Knowledge Transfer: HC 1653 Government Response to the