A new poll commissioned for Christian Action, Research and Education (CARE) has revealed that nearly four out of five people believe that the Government is wrong to allow IVF clinics to scrap the rule that they must take into account a child’s need for a father when approving bids for fertility treatment.
The Government plans are part of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, which is to be debated in the House of Lords on Monday.
In the poll , 77 per cent of respondents said they believed that it is very important for IVF providers to consider a child’s need for a father when processing applications. The figure rises to 80 per cent among women and to 84 per cent among 18- to 24-year-olds.
Only 10 per cent of people think that it is fair that the planned changes make it illegal for some children to have a legal father – for example if they are conceived by IVF for lesbian couples. The figure falls to 8 per cent among women and to 7 per cent among 18- to 24-year-olds.
The Government Bill is expected to face tough opposition on Monday when it is debated in the House of Lords for the first time.
Pro-family campaigners are warning that ministers are sending all the wrong messages by downgrading fatherhood at the very moment that a mounting body of research demonstrates its importance to the emotional health of children and their academic and social development.
The chief executive of CARE, Nola Leach, said: “All the research shows that children, especially boys, are far more likely to do well at school, steer clear of crime and build careers and successful families of their own if they have a father playing an active part in their lives.”
