The Telegraph reports:
The bodies of thousands of aborted and miscarried babies were incinerated as clinical waste, with some even used to heat hospitals, an investigation has found.
Ten NHS trusts have admitted burning foetal remains alongside other rubbish while two others used the bodies in 'waste-to-energy' plants which generate power for heat.
Last night the Department of Health issued an instant ban on the practice which health minister Dr Dan Poulter branded 'totally unacceptable.'
At least 15,500 foetal remains were incinerated by 27 NHS trusts over the last two years alone, Channel 4's Dispatches discovered.
The question which seems to have been asked by most bloggers on hearing the news was "Well, why not?" Well, why not indeed. If these are just "the products of conception," just "a clump of cells," what matter how they are disposed of?
But if these are human babies, it's time to end the whole grisly, murderous business of abortion. But I suppose that's too much to hope for.
So no doubt we will continue with the usual hypocrisy. You can dispose of an unwanted unborn baby at will, without even having to see a doctor, but the bodies of the babies must be treated with respect.
The saddest comment I came across was from a female reader of Cranmer's blog. "One of my miscarriages," she said, "was at Addenbrookes, and I specifically asked what happened if I left my baby's remains there. I was told that the chaplain said a prayer for her and then the remains were sent for cremation.
"I could live with that. Now Addenbrookes is one of the hospitals named in this report."
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