25 October 2007

Voice for Choice group proposes abortion law reforms

A consortium of pro-choice organisations has outlined its key campaigning objectives.

Delegates at the Marie Stopes International (MSI)’s Global Safe Abortion Conference conference in London, which was held in association with campaigning group Abortion Rights on 23 and 24 October 2007, were told that the forthcoming Human Tissue and Embryology Bill is likely to attract amendments from both sides of the abortion divide.

Representatives from the Voice for Choice consortium of 13 organisations, including MSI, BPAS, Abortion Rights, Brook and the fpa, outlined its key campaigning objectives:

  • Abortion to be available solely at the request of the pregnant woman within existing time limits;

  • Abortion to be subject to the same statutory regulations as other medical services;

  • Suitably trained nurse practitioners to be allowed to provide early medical and surgical abortions, in both NHS and non-NHS sectors;

  • The law in Northern Ireland to be brought into line with the rest of the UK.

    A new national survey commissioned by Abortion Rights and carried out by NOP confirms that the campaign has broad public support. Over 8 out of 10 respondents (83%) support women’s right to choose an abortion, whilst over half (52%) support the principle that either one doctor or no doctors at all should sanction abortion.

    ‘Forty years of safe legal abortion in Great Britain is something to celebrate and the majority of the British public feels that the legislation is now out of date,’ said Anne Quesney, director of Abortion Rights. ‘We are confident that positive legislative reform will happen soon.’

    Also speaking at the briefing were Emily Thornberry MP, Vice-Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Pro-Choice and Sexual Health Group; Audrey Simpson, Director of the Family Planning Association of Northern Ireland; and Dr Kate Paterson, Consultant Gynaecologist, St Mary’s Hospital, London.