Bishop pleads case for fathers

Nov 23 2007 by William Green, The Journal

THE Bishop of Newcastle has warned against “writing fathers out of the script” under a shake-up of fertility laws.

The Right Reverend Martin Wharton has expressed concern that the Government is removing from law a requirement that doctors seeking to give IVF treatment should consider the welfare of the future baby, including the need for a father.

He said: “It seems extraordinary that at this time in our society’s life we state in the law that in the welfare and well-being of a child, there is no need any more for a father.

“We hear it said again and again that children lack good male role models today, yet we are writing fathers out of the script.”

The Bishop was speaking during a Lords debate on the Government’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.

He added: “It is surely very odd that the law might provide a birth certificate showing two women as parents of the child.

“I well understand that comes from a desire not to discriminate, but to have two women, or indeed for that matter, two men on a birth certificate as parents is a very odd way to put things.”

Health minister Lord Ari Darzi insisted the Government had recognised the extremely important role of fathers, with measures taken to strengthen their role.

He said: “The proposal is not motivated by any attack on fathers or on the concept of fatherhood.

“Nor is it motivated by a simplistic desire for political correctness.”

He stressed quality of parenting rather than gender was the key issue and that the Government had decided on balance that the need for a father should be removed in favour of the general duty to consider the welfare of the child.

“This does not prevent us from valuing the role of fathers in their children’s life, but it recognises the crucial role played by all parents,” said Lord Darzi.