Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill — Fertility treatment requires male role model — rejected — 20 May 2008 at 18:30
The majority of MPs voted against requiring a father or male role model to be part of what the law interprets as "supporting parenting" for a child who is born as a result of fertility treatment.
The current text in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 says:[1]
- A woman shall not be provided with treatment services unless account has been taken of the welfare of any child who may be born as a result of the treatment (including the need of that child for a father), and of any other child who may be affected by the birth.
The new Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill under discussion will substitute "a father" for "supportive parenting".[2]
The vote, which was lost, would have instead changed "a father" to "supportive parenting and a father or male role model".[3]
A previous vote to change "a father" to "a father and a mother" instead of "supportive parenting" was also lost.[4]
- [1] Conditions of licences for treatment, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, Clause 13(5)
- [2] Conditions of licences for treatment, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, Clause 14(2)(b), 6 February 2008
- [3] Mark Simmonds MP, House of Commons, 20 May 2008
- [4] Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill - Fertility treatment requires father and mother - rejected, Division 197, House of Commons, 20 May 2008
Party Summary
Votes by party, red entries are votes against the majority for that party.
What is Tell? '+1 tell' means that in addition one member of that party was a teller for that division lobby.
What are Boths? An MP can vote both aye and no in the same division. The boths page explains this.
What is Turnout? This is measured against the total membership of the party at the time of the vote.
| Party | Majority (No) | Minority (Aye) | Both | Turnout |
| Con | 13 | 143 (+1 tell) | 0 | 81.8% |
| DUP | 0 | 6 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Independent | 2 | 2 | 0 | 80.0% |
| Independent Labour | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Lab | 233 (+2 tell) | 51 (+1 tell) | 0 | 81.8% |
| LDem | 36 | 13 | 0 | 77.8% |
| PC | 1 | 1 | 0 | 66.7% |
| SDLP | 0 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
| SNP | 5 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| UUP | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Total: | 290 | 222 | 0 | 81.4% |
Rebel Voters - sorted by constituency
MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party. You can see all votes in this division, or every eligible MP who could have voted in this division
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