MPs back use of 'hybrid' embryos

7:51am Tuesday 20th May 2008

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MPs last night defied stark Church warnings against "Frankenstein science" to overwhelmingly back laws offering hope to sufferers from diseases including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and cystic fibrosis.

They voted to allow the use of part-human, part-animal embryos for stem cell research to tackle a critical shortage of human eggs. The vote was passed by 336 to 176, a majority of 160.

The result came as a relief to Gordon Brown, who had personally urged MPs to back the measure in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, because it had the potential to improve "millions of lives".

But it will anger Church leaders, who condemned the mixing of human and animal genetics as "monstrous". One branded the work "experiments of Frankenstein proportions".

MPs - who were given a free vote - were swayed by scientists' pleas that the research is the key to breakthroughs in the treatment of genetic diseases.

Three Cabinet members, who are all Catholics - Defence Secretary Des Browne, Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly and Wales Secretary Paul Murphy - voted against the law.

Later, an attempt to stop scientists from creating "true" animal- human hybrid embryos - made up of 50 per cent human and 50 per cent animal DNA - was also rejected, by 286 votes to 223, a majority of 63.

MPs also voted against a bid to ban the creation of so-called "saviour siblings" - babies born from embryos selected as a tissue match for a sick older brother or sister with a genetic condition.

There will be further votes tonight on the "need for a father"

before fertility treatment and on cutting the 24-week time limit for most abortions.

Last night, Professor John Burn, head of the Institute of Human Genetics at Newcastle University, which is at the forefront of stem cell research, said he was "delighted" by the outcome.

Prof Burn, who was giving a talk on the subject in a House of Commons committee room while the debate was ongoing, said: "I think this is Parliament at its best, because there were heartfelt arguments being put forward on all sides.

"The opinions in Parliament, I suspect, reflect the views of the country.

"There are some people with strong feelings against this research, but some with equally strong feelings in favour.

"Those in favour outweigh those against, so it's quite right we should be able to carry on exploring the potential steps along this way."

The Government had insisted hybrid embryos were required for research because, at present, eggs can only be produced by stimulating a woman's ovaries - a painful and risky procedure.

Furthermore, the "admixed"

embryos will be allowed to grow in a laboratory for only 14 days - to harvest stem cells for research - before being destroyed.

Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said any scientist wishing to create a hybrid embryo would have to prove to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) that there was no alternative.

She said: "Not simply that they want to try it as scientists, but that it is necessary and no other route of research will enable the development of the science to understand the development of the treatment."

At the weekend, the Prime Minister, whose one-year-old son Fraser has cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening inherited disease, said Britons should not turn their backs on vital scientific advances. Yesterday, Conservative leader David Cameron, who also has a severely disabled son, said: "I want to see the research go forward."

However, Mr Cameron signalled a much closer vote tonight on attempts to make it easier for single women and lesbian couples to have fertility treatment, by removing the "need for a father" clause.

Anti-abortion MPs have tabled a series of amendments in an attempt to cut the time limit for most terminations to 20 weeks or less.

IN FAVOUR OF RESEARCH:

Hilary Armstrong (Lab; Durham North West); Hugh Bayley (Lab; City of York); David Curry (Con; Skipton and Ripon); Helen Goodman (Lab; Bishop Auckland); Sharon Hodgson (Lab; Gateshead East and Washington West); Fraser Kemp (Lab; Houghton and Washington East); Dr Ashok Kumar (Lab; Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland); Anne McIntosh (Con; Vale of York); Alan Milburn (Lab; Darlington); Chris Mullin (Lab; Sunderland South); Phil Wilson (Lab; Sedgefield); Iain Wright (Lab; Hartlepool).

AGAINST

Sir Stuart Bell (Lab; Middlesbrough); John Cummings (Lab; Easington); William Hague (Con; Richmond); Dari Taylor (Lab; Stockton South) DID NOT VOTE

Vera Baird (Lab; Redcar); Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods (Lab; City of Durham); Frank Cook (Lab; Stockton North); Bill Etherington (Lab; Sunderland North); Robert Goodwill (Con; Scarborough and Whitby); John Greenway (Con; Ryedale); Kevan Jones (Lab; Durham North); Phil Willis (Lib Dem; Harrogate and Knaresborough).