Catholic politician writes British official about decision on hybrids

Published: 2008-02-04

LONDON (CNS) -- A Catholic politician has complained to Britain's attorney general about the decision to allow scientists to experiment on human-animal hybrids before the House of Commons had the chance to vote on the practice. Jim Dobbin, a Catholic, and Ian Gibson, both members of the governing Labor Party, said in a letter to Baroness Scotland of Asthal that the issuing of licenses to two research centers in England to carry out work on cytoplasmic hybrids before a legal framework had been established to permit such research had made a "mockery" of Parliament. As the attorney general, Baroness Scotland, a Catholic, is the main legal adviser to the British government. "It makes a mockery of Parliament to have an unelected body prejudging the will of the (House of) Commons prior to the Human Fertilization and Embryology Bill being debated," the legislators wrote in their letter. The legislators' letter was sent Jan. 22 but was released to Catholic News Service Feb. 1, after the attorney general replied to say she would relay the concerns of the two men to the Department of Health.

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