Parents hail ‘life-changing’ plans to overhaul UK’s ‘outdated’ surrogacy laws

Parents of surrogate children tell ‘The Independent’ that laws written in the 1980s need to be changed

Charlie Watson, whose child was born by a surrogate in the US in October, said the proposals were ‘definitely a step in the right direction’ (Charlie Watson)

Parents whose children have been born via a surrogate have welcomed law reforms they say will make the process more accessible.

Under current rules, intended parents can be left waiting up to a year to be granted a parental order recognising them as the baby’s legal parents, during which period the surrogate remains the child’s legal mother and both parties could potentially renege on their agreement.

Branding the current system “outdated” and “not fit for purpose”, the Law Commissions of England, Wales and Scotland has called for those intending to raise the baby to be legally recognised as its parent from birth.