Health Minister Caroline Flint told MPs she was minded to introduce a “clear and specific ban” on the use of new techniques to choose one gender of baby.

My question for Flint is how exactly do you enforce this without completely outlawing abortion? Not to worry, though. Perhaps you won’t be able to determine your baby’s sex, but whether he and/or she has a dad will be completely optional.

Ms Flint also indicated that rules allowing fertility clinics to block treatment for single women and lesbian couples could be scrapped. Present regulations include the need for a father in considerations of the future child’s welfare – an element the Government considered should go, she said.

Orwell was an optimist.