The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill proposes radical changes to the UK's law on embryo research. It also presents an opportunity for the law on abortion to be altered. This page indexes the latest news and resources as the Bill makes its way through Parliament.
Click here for the latest news articles
Resources
Abortion poll: Summary- Abortion poll: Headline data
- Abortion poll: Full poll data
- Abortion briefing (May 08)
- Embryos Bill poll: Headline data
- Embryos Bill poll: Full poll data
- Institute's updated briefing on the Bill (Commons stages)
Major concerns about the Bill- Institute's briefing on the Bill (Lords stages)
- Q&A: Three-parent embryos
- Institute's submission to a Parliamentary committee on the draft embryos Bill
The Joint Committee's report on the Bill 
- Update 10 magazine (contains articles on the Bill)
- 'The New Inter-Species Future?'
- CMF File 34: 'Chimeras, hybrids and 'cybrids''
- Sanctity of life apologetic
- Human cloning apologetic
News articles
- Embryology Bill clears Parliament (30/10/08)
- Embryos Bill in the Lords today (29/10/08)
- Embryo horrors 'last seen under Nazis', says Cardinal (29/10/08)
The Scotsman article: 'Embryology bill "will allow Nazi practices"' (29/10/08)- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Embryo bill like Nazi atrocities, says Cardinal' (29/10/08)
- Christian Medical Fellowship: 'Statement to House of Lords on consent proposals in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill' (28/10/08)
- Plans to liberalise abortion laws fail (23/10/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Ruth Kelly preparing to vote against Government on embryo bill' (20/10/08)
- Daily Express article: 'Abortion pill for girls of 12' (10/20/08)
- Scientist hails ethical stem cell discovery (9/10/08)
- New Scientist article: 'Testicles could provide "ethical" stem cells' (9/10/08)
- Chicago Tribune article: 'Stem cell research institute and cord blood bank opens' (9/10/08)
- Pro-life minister leaves Cabinet (24/9/08)
- Ethical stem cell blood bank opens (11/9/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Stem cell research institute and cord blood bank opens' (11/9/08)
- BBC News article: 'Cord blood bank "will save lives"' (11/9/08)
- New effort to collect cord blood stem cells (4/8/08)
- The Times article: 'The new UK umbilical cord blood bank that could save lives' (2/8/08)
- Labour loses Glasgow East to pro-life SNP candidate (25/7/08)
- Scotsman article: 'Glasgow East by-election: Abortion and embryo controversies back in spotlight for final days of campaign' (19/7/08)
- Daily Record article: 'SNP by-election candidate John Mason sparks row over Goverment's 'baby test' claim' (14/7/08)
- Scientists given licence for human-pig embryos (1/7/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Human-pig hybrid embryos given go ahead' (1/7/08)
- Bill loophole could allow full cloning (16/6/08)
- The Times article: 'Loophole in Embryology Bill could allow cloning without new legislation' (14/8/08)
- Three-parent families 'just three years away' (6/6/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: '"Three parent" embryos to fight disease' (5/6/08)
- Tory hopefuls favour lower abortion limit (6/6/08)
- Daily Mail article: 'Most would-be Tory MPs back cut in time limit for abortions' (6/6/08)
- Stem cell breakthrough avoids embryo problem (5/6/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Embryo-free stem cell research gets boost' (4/6/08)
- The Daily Telegraph comment: 'Abortion debate: MPs are out of touch' (22/5/08)
- Fathers not needed, say MPs, and abortion law stays as it is (21/5/08)
Sky News report: 'No Change On Abortion Time Limits' (21/5/08)- Daily Mail article: 'Abortion fight "will go on after next election", as MPs defy public opinion to keep 24-week limit' (21/5/08)
- The Times article: 'Women win right to children without fathers' (21/5/08)
- MPs vote on embryos Bill: abortion and fatherhood (20/5/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'MPs vote for human-animal hybrid embryos' (20/5/08)
- Doctors don't want to perform late abortions (20/5/08)
- MPs vote on animal-human embryos and saviour siblings (19/5/08)
- Daily Mail article: 'Now NHS doctors refuse to carry out late abortions on moral grounds' (17/5/08)
- Make abortion law stricter, say women (16/5/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Abortion debate: Gordon Brown to oppose 20-week limit change' (16/5/08)
- Daily Mail article: 'Three-quarters of women want 24-week limit on abortions reduced, says survey' (16/5/08)
- Public want abortion weeks cut in line with rest of Europe (15/5/08)
- Conservative spokesman backs abortion on demand (13/5/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Women "should have abortion on demand"' (13/5/08)
- Government criticised over free votes on embryos (13/5/08)
- MPs lead push to save 3,000 babies a year from abortion (6/5/08)
- Daily Mail article: 'Britain is "'becoming the abortion capital of the world" claims Tory MP fighting to lower legal limit' (6/5/08)
- BBC News article: 'MP seeks to lower abortion limit' (6/5/08)
- Creator of abortion law now wants 'abortion on request' (30/4/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Law may change to allow "abortion on request"' (30/4/08)
- More twelve-year-olds are having abortions (29/4/08)
- The Sunday Times article: 'Girls aged 12 have abortions' (27/4/08)
- Scientists want embryos Bill to allow the "ultimate incest" (15/4/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Same-sex couples could create children' (15/4/08)
- The Times article: 'Sperm and eggs from stem cells "in 15 years"' (15/4/08)
- BBC News article: '"Limit" to lab egg and sperm use' (14/4/08)
- Court case over animal-human embryos decision (9/4/08)
- Christian Legal Centre: 'CLC Legal Challenge to Animal Human Hybrid Licenses' (9/4/08)
- The Times article: 'Christian group mounts challenge to HFEA on hybrid embryo research' (8/4/08)
- New hope of stem cell cures without destroying embryos (8/4/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Skin yields stem cell clue to diseases' (8/4/08)
- BBC News article: 'Stem cells made to mimic disease' (7/4/08)
- Scientists discount MPs and create animal-human embryo (3/4/08)
- ITV news report featuring The Christian Institute (2/4/08)
- The Times article: 'We have created human-animal embryos already, say British team' (2/4/08)
- BBC News article: 'UK's first hybrid embryos created' (1/4/08)
- Poll shows public are against embryos Bill (31/3/08)
- Early baby survival rates fuel calls for lower abortion limit (27/3/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Hundreds born within abortion limit survive' (27/3/08)
- The embryology Bill: what happens next? (26/3/08)
- PM gives free vote on embryology Bill (25/3/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Gordon Brown allows free vote on embryos' (25/3/08)
- BBC News article: 'Brown compromise over embryo vote' (25/3/08)
- Brown under pressure over embryology Bill (25/3/08)
- The Guardian article: 'Brown faces deepening revolt over embryo bill' (23/3/08)
- BBC News article: 'MPs urged to support embryo bill' (23/3/08)
- The Daily Record article: 'Cardinal Keith O'Brien Blasts Gordon Brown Over Embryos' (21/3/08)
- Cameron repeats attack on Brown over embryo votes (20/3/08)
- 1,300 girls on their second abortion by 18th birthday (20/3/08)
- Daily Mail article: '1,300 women have had at least FIVE abortions' (20/3/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Thirty teenagers weekly have repeat abortion' (20/3/08)
- Abortion can harm mental health, say psychiatrists (17/3/08)
- The Times article: 'Royal college warns abortions can lead to mental illness' (16/3/08)
- PM attacked for forcing votes on embryos (12/3/08)
- Couple want right to choose IVF embryo with deaf gene (11/3/08)
- Ministers may allow babies from artificial sperm and eggs (10/3/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Artificial sperm use plans ignite embryo row' (10/3/08)
- Surge in late abortions fuels calls for reduced time limit (10/3/08)
- Let MPs have free vote on embryos Bill, say experts (7/3/08)
- The Times letter: 'Commons' votes on controversial biothical issues should not be whipped' (7/3/08)
- Cabinet ministers threaten to rebel over embryos Bill (6/3/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: ' Catholic MPs to rebel over embryo bill' (6/3/08)
- MPs slam embryo watchdog for pre-empting Parliament (3/3/08)
- The Daily Telegraph letter: 'Embryo hybrid experiments' (3/3/08)
- Brown sees no reason for lower abortion time limit (26/2/08)
- David Cameron wants abortion limit lowered (25/2/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'David Cameron wants abortion limit lowered' (25/2/08)
- Ministers to 'cave in' over embryo research consent (6/2/08)
- The Times article: 'Scientists claim victory in blocking stem-cell law after letter in Times' (2/2/08)
- Calls for abortion review as more early babies survive (1/2/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'All evidence tells us to reduce abortion limit' (1/2/08)
- Scientists attempt to create 'sperm' from women's bones (31/1/08)
- Daily Mail article: 'Death of the father: British scientists discover how to turn women's bone marrow into sperm' (31/1/08)
- Archbishop slams 24-hour drinking and Embryos Bill (31/1/08)
- Bid to restrict abortion of disabled babies fails (29/1/08)
- Babies feel pain before 24 week abortion limit (28/1/08)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Babies "feel pain before 24-week abortion limit"' (28/1/08)
- Peers vote to sideline role of fathers for IVF children (22/1/08)
- Lords result on a child's 'need for a father' in IVF (22/1/08)
- Law to undermine fathers is "irresponsible", says Peer (17/1/08)
- The Times article: 'Test-tube babies need fathers' (17/1/08)
- Lords approve hybrid embryos and saviour siblings (16/1/08)
- Lords result on banning animal-human embryos (16/1/08)
- Lords result on banning 'saviour siblings' (16/1/08)
- Lords vote on animal-human hybrids and 'saviour siblings' (15/1/08)
Press Release: Lords to vote on embryos, fatherhood and abortion (12/1/08)- Peers to vote on embryos Bill (3/1/08)
- 'Designer baby' fears over cholesterol gene screening (17/12/07)
- Labour MPs get free vote on embryos Bill (13/12/07)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Catholic MPs allowed vote against fertility Bill' (13/12/07)
- Labour MPs threaten to rebel over embryos Bill (10/12/07)
- Labour MPs call for free vote on Embryology Bill (7/12/07)
- Non-embryo stem cell work overcomes 'cancer' problem (4/12/07)
- Bid to allow the creation of sperm and eggs in lab (4/12/07)
- Times Online article: 'Vote may allow stem cell sperm' (2/12/07)
- Abortion rules on 'serious handicap' to be reviewed (30/11/07)
- Roman Catholic leader to meet MPs on embryos Bill (26/11/07)
- Top scientist leaves embryo research for 'better method' (21/11/07)
- Belfast Telegraph article: 'Miracle in a test tube as human skin is turned into heart and brain cells' (21/11/07)
- BBC News article: 'Dolly scientist abandons cloning' (21/11/07)
- Archbishop says embryo Bill undermines fathers (20/11/07)
- The Daily Telegraph article: 'Embryo law causes concern for "child's rights"' (20/11/07)
- Parliamentary committee reports on embryos Bill (1/8/07)
- Daily Mail article: 'Changes to embryos Bill urged' (1/8/07)
- Bill allows GM humans with no need for dads (20/7/07)
- Ministers open door for human-animal embryos (18/5/07)
- Times Online article: 'Ministers drop plan to ban animal-human embryos' (18/5/07)
