29 January 2021
During a Times Radio interview with John Pienaar on 28 January 2021, Louisa Ghevaert was pleased to discuss single parent surrogacy and the ongoing need for wider surrogacy law reform in the UK. This follows news this week of the first single man to become a solo parent through surrogacy and egg donation with not-for-profit surrogacy agency Surrogacy UK. David Watkins, a 42 year old teacher from Southampton, successfully became a father to baby Miles now six months old with the help of surrogate Faye Spreadbury, a mother of two, from Leicester.
Louisa explained that a change in law in January 2019 was a step forward in that for the first time it enabled single people, like David Watkins, to apply for parental orders and obtain and secure legal parentage and parental rights for their surrogate born child in the Family Court. However, she commented that despite this surrogacy law remains outdated and wider law reform is needed in the UK, something she has called for since 2009. Louisa went on to highlight the ongoing work of the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission on a project to reform surrogacy law. She explained that its starting point is that existing surrogacy law needs updating to take account of societal changes and advances in medicine and science over the last thirty years and that surrogacy is now an accepted form of family building as recognised by the Department of Health and Social Care in its guidance on surrogacy arrangements. She also summarised some of the proposals for wider surrogacy law reform in the UK currently under consideration.
Need a surrogacy lawyer or a fertility lawyer? If you would like to discuss your situation or you require specialist fertility, surrogacy and family law advice and assistance please contact Louisa Ghevaert by email louisa@louisaghevaertassociates.co.uk or by telephone +44 (0)20 7965 8399.
