NORTH Wiltshire MP James Gray was one of more than 80 Conservative MPs who voted against regulations to allow IVF babies to be created with three people's DNA, while 47 of the party also stayed away from the Commons for the historic vote.

Some 31 Labour MPs joined the 81 Tory opponents, as did five Liberal Democrats.

Also opposed were two members of the SNP, two from the SDLP, one independent and Ukip MP Mark Reckless.

Several ministers, including Justice Secretary Chris Grayling, voted against the measure which was carried by a majority of 254.

The historic decision to approve the creation of IVF babies using DNA from three different people in order to prevent inherited diseases was taken in a free vote after a debate on the controversial issue of mitochondrial donation in the Commons.

It means the UK is now set to be the first country in the world to permit the treatment, which according to critics crosses an unacceptable ethical line.

If the House of Lords ratifies the move - which is likely - the first baby conceived with the procedure could be born by the end of next year.

The child would have "nuclear" DNA determining individual traits such as facial features and personality from its two parents, plus a tiny amount of mitochondrial DNA (mDNA) from an anonymous woman donor.

Research has shown that mitochondrial donation could potentially help almost 2,500 women of reproductive age in the UK.

All are at risk of transmitting harmful DNA mutations in the mitochondria, tiny rod-like power plants in cells, onto their children and future generations.

Mitochondrial DNA (mDNA) is only involved in metabolism and makes up just 0.1% of a person's genetic code. But faults in mDNA can lead to a wide range of devastating and sometimes life-threatening inherited diseases responsible for conditions including blindness, deafness, muscle wasting, diabetes, heart failure and dementia.

The MPs voted through an amendment to the 2008 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act making mitochondrial donation procedures legal for the first time anywhere in the world.

Supporters of the move argued that it would be immoral not to take advantage of technology that can save families from the misery of serious inherited diseases.

Opponents, including church leaders and pro-life groups, warned that the change was being brought about too hastily and marked the start of a "slippery slope" towards designer babies and eugenics.

Scientists led by Professor Doug Turnbull at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial Research at Newcastle University have pioneered the techniques and hope to be the first group to offer the treatment.

But first their application must be approved by the fertility regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) which has to be satisfied that the procedure is sufficiently safe.

A Wellcome Trust spokesman said: "If its approved by the House of Lords, probably in a couple of weeks, the HFEA and Doug will get together to determine precisely what the application terms should be. We're still awaiting the results of a couple more experiments from Doug's lab.

"Then Doug will apply for the first licence which will be looked at on its individual merits. We might be talking about tens of families that could be eligible for the treatment. What will happen is that each application will be made on a case-by-case basis.

"Once we have the licence then we can go ahead. Our estimate is that the first licence will be applied for in November this year, and the first baby might be born in 2016."

She said that despite the enormous amount of publicity expected, the scientists intend to put the interests of the family and research needs first.

A Wellcome Trust spokesman said: "If its approved by the House of Lords, probably in a couple of weeks, the HFEA and Doug will get together to determine precisely what the application terms should be. We're still awaiting the results of a couple more experiments from Doug's lab.

"Then Doug will apply for the first licence which will be looked at on its individual merits. We might be talking about tens of families that could be eligible for the treatment. What will happen is that each application will be made on a case-by-case basis.

"Once we have the licence then we can go ahead. Our estimate is that the first licence will be applied for in November this year, and the first baby might be born in 2016."

She said that despite the enormous amount of publicity expected, the scientists intend to put the interests of the family and research needs first.

The ministers who opposed the measures were:

Defence Minister Julian Brazier, Defence Minister Mark Francois, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling, Transport Minister John Hayes, Treasury Minister Andrea Leadsom, Justice and Home Office Minister Mike Penning, Justice Minister Andrew Selous, International Development Minister Desmond Swayne, Attorney General Jeremy Wright.

The other Conservative opponents were: Peter Aldous (Waveney), David Amess (Southend West), Steven Baker (Wycombe), Guto Bebb (Aberconwy), Henry Bellingham (Norfolk North West), Jake Berry (Rossendale & Darwen), Brian Binley (Northampton South), Bob Blackman (Harrow East), Fiona Bruce (Congleton), Conor Burns (Bournemouth West), Simon Burns (Chelmsford), David Burrowes (Enfield Southgate), Bill Cash (Stone), Rehman Chishti (Gillingham & Rainham), Christopher Chope (Christchurch), Therese Coffey (Suffolk Coastal), Oliver Colville (Plymouth Sutton & Devonport), Glyn Davies (Montgomeryshire), Philip Davies (Shipley), Nick de Bois (Enfield North), Jackie Doyle-Price (Thurrock), Richard Drax (Dorset South), Charlie Elphicke (Dover), Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley), David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford), Mark Field (Cities of London & Westminster), Richard Fuller (Bedford), Roger Gale (Thanet North), Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham), John Glen (Salisbury), Zac Goldsmith (Richmond Park), James Gray (Wiltshire North), Oliver Heald (Hertfordshire North East), Damian Hinds (Hampshire East), Mark Hoban (Fareham), Adam Holloway (Gravesham), Sir Gerald Howarth (Aldershot), Stewart Jackson (Peterborough), David Jones (Clwyd West), Marcus Jones (Nuneaton), Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham), Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford), Edward Leigh (Gainsborough), Jack Lopresti (Filton & Bradley Stoke), Karl McCartney (Lincoln), Anne McIntosh (Thirsk & Malton), Stephen McPartland (Stevenage), Anne Main (St Albans), Mark Menzies (Fylde), Bob Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst), David Nuttall (Bury North), Eric Ollerenshaw (Lancaster & Fleetwood), Mark Pawsey (Rugby), Andrew Percy (Brigg & Goole), Chris Pincher (Tamworth), John Randall (Uxbridge & Ruislip South), Jacob Rees-Mogg (Somerset North East), Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury), David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds), David Rutley (Macclesfield), Lee Scott (Ilford North), Sir Richard Shepherd (Aldridge-Brownhills), John Stevenson (Carlisle), Iain Stewart (Milton Keynes South), Gary Streeter (Devon South West), Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness), Robert Syms (Poole), Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth & Horncastle), Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight), Ben Wallace (Wyre & Preston North), James Wharton (Stockton South) and Craig Whittaker (Calder Valley).

Liberal Democrat Environment Minister Dan Rogerson opposed the measure.

He was joined by four backbenchers: John Hemming (Birmingham Yardley), Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West), Sarah Teather (Brent Central) and Mark Williams (Ceredigion).

The 31 Labour MPs opposed were: Dave Anderson (Blaydon), Gordon Banks (Ochil & Perthshire South), Tom Clarke (Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill), David Crausby (Bolton North East), Tony Cunningham (Workington), Brian Donohoe (Ayrshire Central), Gemma Doyle (Dunbartonshire West), Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent South), Pat Glass (Durham North West), Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen & Hamilton West), David Hanson (Delyn), Meg Hillier (Hackney South & Shoreditch), Kate Hoey (Vauxhall), Susan Elan Jones (Clwyd South), Mike Kane (Wythenshawe & Sale East), Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester Gorton), Michael McCann (East Kilbride, Strathaven & Lesmahagow), Jim McGovern (Dundee West), Anne McGuire (Stirling), Shabana Mahmood (Birmingham Ladywood), Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South), Alan Meale (Mansfield), George Mudie (Leeds East), Paul Murphy (Torfaen), Albert Owen (Ynys Mon), Stephen Pound (Ealing North), Frank Roy (Motherwell & Wishaw), Jim Sheridan (Paisley & Renfrewshire North), Gavin Shuker (Luton South), Stephen Timms (East Ham) and Keith Vaz (Leicester East).

Also against were two SNP, Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) and Mike Weir (Angus), two SDLP, Mark Durkan (Foyle) and Margaret Ritchie (Down South), independent Sylvia Hermon (North Down), and Ukip's Mark Reckless (Rochester and Strood).