Blog

London Egg Bank warmly welcomes the new surrogacy proposals presented by The Law Commission of England and Wales, in collaboration with the Scottish Law Commission. These proposals, if implemented, have the potential to revolutionize the landscape of domestic surrogacy, making the process clearer, easier to understand, and smoother for all parties involved - intended parents, surrogates, and children.

The current surrogacy laws are outdated, leading to unnecessary delays and uncertainties. The recommended reforms aim to address these issues and create a more efficient and compassionate system for surrogacy arrangements.

The key recommendations for law reform include establishing a new pathway to legal parenthood, where intended parents would become legal parents from birth without the need for lengthy court processes. This new pathway will be supported by non-profit Regulated Surrogacy Organizations (RSOs) overseen by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).

Furthermore, the proposals suggest reforms to parental orders, allowing courts to make parental orders without the surrogate's consent in certain cases when it is in the child's best interest. Additionally, a Surrogacy Register will be created, enabling children born through surrogacy to trace their origins in the future.

The proposed reforms also provide clarity on permissible payments to surrogates, ensuring that they are not left financially disadvantaged. Commercial surrogacy remains prohibited, safeguarding against exploitation.

While encouraging domestic surrogacy arrangements, the reforms also address international surrogacy agreements, implementing measures to protect the welfare of the children involved.

As these proposals are now in the hands of the government for review and consideration, London Egg Bank looks forward to the potential positive impact they could have on the surrogacy process, offering greater support and protection to all parties involved in this profoundly meaningful journey of creating families.