Comment on Christian Institute poll on issues contained in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 31st Mar 2008

Commenting on a poll conducted by the Christian Institute into public support for the creation of hybrid embryos for medical research, Dr Evan Harris, Liberal Democrat MP who has led the campaign in Parliament supported by scientists and medical research charities to allow such research, said:

"Opinion polls have consistently shown that the public support embryo research and the creation of hybrid embryos for medical research, but not otherwise. This latest poll, unlike the HFEA poll conducted before they approved this research, did not mention the medical research purposes - the question asked dictates the answer given. The proposed legislation is very clear that hybrid embryo research will only be permitted for medical purposes, and only up to 14 days in a test tube, neither of which conditions were mentioned in the biased question asked by the Christian Institute."

The question asked in the Christian Institute poll was:

Q.1 Parliament is debating whether research scientists should be allowed to create embryos which are part-animal and part-human. Do you think it is wrong to create animal-human embryos?