Scottish Catholic Church leaders have called on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to defend fathers in light of the ongoing public consultation on draft legislation on fertility treatment.

Part three of the draft Human Tissue and Embryo Bill in particular proposes axing the current requirement that those involved in the in vitro fertilisation process (IVF) must have regard for the need of any resulting child for a father.

Scotland's two most senior Catholics, Cardinal Keith O'Brien and Archbishop Mario Conti have written to Prime Minister Gordon Brown asking him to urgently review the timetable for the public consultation on the Bill.

In their letter sent last Friday, the leaders argue that elements of the draft legislation could be very harmful to the long-term welfare of children.

They also express concern over the proposal to remove the current reference in legislation to a child's need for a father, saying, "This means that prior to provision of fertility treatment, there will no longer be any requirement, nor guidance, to consider the child's need for a father."

They claim the proposal in Part three of the proposed Bill constitutes "a sweeping attempt to rewrite traditional concepts of parenthood and the family".

Cardinal O'Brien and Archbishop Conti concluded: "We believe that the state should not deny the child's need for a father nor ignore a wealth of social research findings upholding the notion that deliberately planning to have fatherless children is inimical to their long-term welfare."