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SPUC welcomes Hague's motion to stop morning-after pills over the counter
Westminster, 19 December 2000--Mr William Hague, the leader of the opposition, this morning tabled a motion calling on the government to withdraw its order which would allow abortion-inducing morning-after pills to be sold without prescription. The motion was also signed by shadow health ministers and the opposition chief whip.Welcoming the move, John Smeaton, national director of the Society
for the Protection of Unborn Children, said: "We are greatly encouraged
by the strong stand taken by the opposition against the government's
promotion of prescription-free morning-after pills, which represents a
particular danger to young girls. We call upon MPs of all parties to
sign today's motion.
"It is usual practice for the government to allow the House of
Commons to debate and vote on an order if the official opposition has
tabled a motion like this. However, there is not sufficient
parliamentary time or notice before the order takes effect on the first
of next month (less than two weeks away). We therefore call upon the
government to withdraw its statutory instrument."
The motion, known in parliamentary language as a prayer, is entitled 120 Medicines (S.I., 2000. No.3231). It reads:
That the Prescription Only Medicines (Human Use) Amendment (No.3) Order 2000, dated 8th December, a copy of which was laid before the House on 12th December, be annulled.So far it has been signed by Mr Hague, Dr Liam Fox, Mr Philip Hammond, Ms Caroline Spelman, Mr Peter Luff and Mr James Arbuthnot.