Bill to ban cloning ready for debate

By KEVIN TAYLOR political reporter

After eight years of work, a bill to ban cloning and regulate assisted human reproductive technology and research has been returned to Parliament.

The legislation is a combination of Labour MP Dianne Yates' 1996 private bill, a 1998 Government bill and a Government supplementary order paper tabled last year.

As well as banning cloning, it bans sex selection - designer babies - except to avoid genetic diseases, implantation of animal-human hybrids and implantation of GM embryos.

The bill also establishes a ministerial advisory committee and an ethics committee.

The advisory committee will develop guidelines on the technology, and the ethics committee will consider applications for non-established procedures or research.

The select committee also made wide-ranging recommendations on rules governing donor identity.

People who have fertility treatment will have to tell their children about the nature of their conception, and offspring can find out the identity of the donor when they reach 18.

The bill is expected to attract wide parliamentary support, including from the Greens.

But Greens health spokeswoman Sue Kedgley said she was concerned that the bill's proposed regulations were among the most permissive in the world.

And she said the bill did not give clear direction that embryo selection techniques should be used only to prevent serious genetic disorders or diseases.

"This would open the door for parents to be able to select embryos with attributes and abilities they like, even when there is no possibility of a genetic disorder."

Despite the concerns, the Greens would vote for the legislation, she said.

"Even permissive legislation is better than no legislation, but we will be seeking to try to strengthen it."

Select committee chairwoman Steve Chadwick said a change recommended by the committee was to give the public more say on development of the guidelines.

The advisory committee would have to call for and consider submissions on significant issues.

National MP and select committee member Dr Paul Hutchison, who specialised in fertility treatment before entering Parliament, disagreed with the Greens' claim that the bill was too permissive.

The bill was well thought out and flexible, he said, and allowed technological advances to be incorporated.

BILL IN BRIEF

Prohibits

Cloning of humans and designer babies, except for checking for genetic diseases.

Implantation of animal-human hybrids

Implantation of genetically engineered embryos

Requires

Parents undergoing fertility treatment to tell their children about the nature of their conception. Offspring can be told the identity of the donor when they reach 18.