Following the general election in the UK and the formation of the new coalition government, Anne Milton MP has become the new Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and so is the Government Minister responsible for fertility and embryology. She is the Conservative MP for Guildford - a seat which she won from the Liberal Democrats in 2005.

Anne trained as a nurse at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London and worked for the National Health Service (NHS) for 25 years in a variety of roles. She became Shadow Minister for Health in 2007 after previously holding the role of Shadow Minister for Tourism.

According to the website theyworkforyou.com she has voted moderately against gay rights. During the passage of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008, she voted for retaining the 'need for a father' provision in the legislation, therefore believing that this is something that should be considered when taking account of the welfare of a child who may be born as a result of fertility treatment.

Reproduced from BioNews with permission, a web- and email-based source of news, information and comment on assisted reproduction and human genetics, published by Progress Educational Trust.