Purposive approach

• Purpsoive approach defenition


  Judges look to see what the purpose of the law is when interpreting statues
• R v Registrar-General, ex parte Smith: Charles Smith made an application to obtain his birth certificate in the correct manner and was prepared to see a counsellor Under the literal rule the Registrar General had to supply the information as the Act stated 'shall supply'
• Adoption Act 1976 S.1


  1. Registrar General shall supply adopted person over 18 information to obtain birth record

  2. Registrar General must inform applicant of counselling service and attend interview if adoption was pre-
• Embryo


  Live human embryo where fertilisation is complete
• The Embryology Act 1990 defined 'embryo' under S.1 (1)(a)
• When the Embryology Act 1990 was introduced, there was only one way to create an embryo outside the human body
• Cell Nuclear Replacement (CNR)

  1. Nucleus from one cell of an unfertilised egg is removed

  2. Nucleus from an adult cell is replaced

  3. Divides to create an embryo
• Cell Nuclear Replacement (CNR) is a method used to create an embryo, which does not involve fertilisation
• Cell Nuclear Replacement (CNR) is a form of cloning
• In 2003, due to medical advances another method was used to create an embryo called Cell Nuclear Replacement (CNR)
• R v Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

  The House of Lords (now Supreme Court) had to consider the definition of 'embryo' under the Embryology Act 1990