With a controversial issue such as stem-cell research, it is often only the loudest voice that gets heard. The opposition from a religious point of view is led vociferously by the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the head of the Scottish Catholic church, has described the plans to allow the creation of human admixed embryos as “monstrous”.

Yet there is an alternative view from other religions. The Right Rev Robert Gillies, the Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, a leading figure in the Scottish Episcopal Church, is one man who is more open to the idea, recognising that there exists a framework within this county to regulate the research.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has also dismissed some of the more “extreme and alarmist talk” but at the same time expressed the view that he finds certain issues “ethically very hard to accept”.

NonChristian denominations have been open to further research in the area of stem cells. In fact, research has taken place in predominantly Muslim countries such as Egypt and Iran. Whatever the progress of the HFE Bill through the Houses of Parliament, however, the debate is likely to go on and on.