The ethical debate over the role of genetic research continues to gather pace, with the Church of Scotland reacting in anger to plans to liberalise stem cell laws that would effectively authorise “murder”.

Harsh criticism was voiced in a report by Donald Bruce, director of the Church’s science, religion and technology project.

|TOP|In the report, Bruce argued that human embryos have the same moral status as newborn babies and should, therefore, not be treated simply as “research objects”, reports The Scotsman.

The Church of Scotland report also said that the use of stem cell research should be “absolutely impermissible”.

Government ministers hoping for a change in the law will be concerned by the angry reaction from the Church of Scotland, known for its fairly moderate stance on ethical issues.

Ian Gibson, the Labour MP who chaired the Commons select committee on science and technology when it produced a report on the issue of stem cell research last year, described the tone of the Kirk’s intervention last night as “appalling”.

|AD|Mr Gibson said the Church of Scotland was trying to scare the public about “the nasty, horrible people in white coats, when in fact this research is for the best of medical purposes”.

Pope Benedict XVI told the world in an address that firmly underlined the Roman Catholic’s stance against abortion and scientific research on embryos, that God sees embryos as “full and complete” humans.

In an address at the end of December, the Pope said: “The loving eyes of God look on the human being, considered full and complete at its beginning.”

A leading UK bioethical think-tank has also warned against the plans of British scientists to create embryos by combining rabbit eggs with human DNA.

Nigel Cameron, chairman of the Centre for Bioethics and Public Policy (CBPP), said: "This would neatly take us out of the frying-pan and into the fire.

"Creating human-rabbit hybrids for our embryo experiments is worse - and establishes British leadership in the depressing journey towards the Brave New World."