Embryo bill progresses whilst ethical restraints rejected London, 28th January 2008 - The House of Lords has again rejected amendments aimed at placing ethical restraints on the killing of early human life.

Tonight the government's Human Fertilisation and Embryology bill completed its Report stage in the House of Lords and is due to be debated at Third Reading next Monday, 4th February.

Many Lords, following the government's lead, were dismissive of a call for the establishment of a national bioethics commission.

Lords also voted against an amendment to ban late-term abortions of disabled babies, by 89 votes to 22.

Anthony Ozimic, political secretary of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), commented: "Total rejection of the government's bill is the only adequate response pro-life parliamentarians can make in the anti-life climate of the current parliament. Lords should move to vote against the bill in principle and as a whole at Third Reading."