MPs to be 'accommodated' on embryos

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Instead, an "accommodation" will be reached with them, Health Secretary Alan Johnson has said.

Mr Johnson's comment came as Britain's most senior Roman Catholic clergy - including Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor - united to call on Gordon Brown to grant his MPs a free vote on the Bill, which allows the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos for medical research.

The Health Secretary insisted the Cabinet was not split over the Bill, and predicted that no MP would be forced to vote against his or her conscience when it comes to the House of Commons later this year.

He rejected claims that the Prime Minister was "dithering" over whether to follow Conservative leader David Cameron and the Liberal Democrats' Nick Clegg in offering MPs a free vote.

Mr Johnson told Sky News: "I believe ... once we have discussed all these issues and seen all the safeguards in the Bill, that there will not be a split, but there will be an accommodation for those who have a particular sensitivity around this, including those whose sensitivity relates to their faith."

He added: "Look at what happened in the House of Lords. Find me anybody there who was forced to vote against their conscience. You won't find them and that will be the case in the Commons, I am absolutely convinced of that."