A petition advocating for legal recognition of intended parents from birth has garnered over 110,000 signatures, leading to a parliamentary debate in the UK. This initiative stems from the experiences of Adam Frisby and Jamie Corbett, who welcomed their daughter via surrogacy in the United States.
The current UK law designates the surrogate as the legal mother, compelling intended parents to navigate a complicated court process to secure their parental rights. Adam Frisby expressed frustration with this legal framework, stating, “When our daughter was born through surrogacy, we became dads the moment we held her. But under current law, the surrogate is automatically recognised as the legal mother.”
The Law Commission had previously recommended reforms to surrogacy laws three years ago, suggesting that intended parents should be recognized from birth. However, no government action has been taken since that recommendation was made.
Meanwhile, on another front in Hong Kong, survivors of the Tai Po fire have also initiated a petition. They collected 247 handwritten signatures requesting a homeowners’ meeting concerning long-term resettlement plans following the tragic incident that occurred on November 26, 2025, which claimed 168 lives.
This petition was delivered to Hop On Management on April 29, 2026. Jason Kong, representing the survivors, noted that they had gathered signatures from around 12 percent of all households at Wang Fuk Court—exceeding the required threshold of 5 percent needed to call a general meeting.
As these petitions unfold in both regions, it remains unclear how quickly legislative changes could occur regarding surrogacy laws in the UK or what resolutions will emerge for Tai Po fire survivors. Sarah Dodds remarked on the significance of discussions surrounding UK surrogacy laws: “It’s exciting to see UK surrogacy laws being discussed and debated at the highest level.”
