My honourable friend the. Minister of State for Public Health (Caroline Flint) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

The Government have today laid before Parliament a Command Paper (Cm 6989) detailing proposals for revision of the law on assisted reproduction and embryo research. Copies have been placed in the Library. The proposals are the outcome of a wide-ranging review, which included a public consultation in 2005. The paper also provides more details on the proposed Regulatory Authority for Tissue and Embryos (RATE), which will replace existing regulatory bodies (the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Human Tissue Authority). These proposals will go on to form a Bill to be published in draft for pre-legislative scrutiny.