Parliament to debate abortion law

The delayed Report Stage of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill has been scheduled for Wednesday 22nd October. MPs will debate and vote on several proposed amendments to abortion law from both pro-choice and anti-abortion MPs.

Pro-choice amendments are as follows:

▪ Removal of the need for two doctors’ signatures to authorise an abortion (New Clauses 1 & 13)

▪ Allowing suitably trained nurses and other healthcare practitioners to carry out abortions (New Clause 2 & 14)

▪ Extending the locations where abortions can take place to primary care level (New Clauses 7 & 10)

▪ Allowing women the choice to be at home to complete an early medical abortion (New Clause 9)

▪ Prevention of misleading advertising of pregnancy counselling services who are not clear that they won’t refer for abortion or provide treatment (New Clause 11)

▪ Clarifying that conscientious objection does not extend to contraception (New Clause 12)

▪ Extending the Abortion Act 1967 to Northern Ireland (New Clause 30)

Amendments from pro-life MPs include imposing a ‘cooling-off period’ for women seeking abortions, mandatory counselling and attempts to add in extra doctors’ signatures after the 24th week of pregnancy.

For further infomation:

Download the Voice for Choice briefing to MPs here

Download the Science and Technology Committee’s report Scientific Developments Relating to the Abortion Act 1967 here

Follow the progress of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, and view all amendments, here

See Abortion Review‘s coverage of the possible reform of the 1967 Abortion Act here