Agenda for more abortion promoted in Parliament, says SPUC

19 July 2005

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) has said that today's debate in Parliament on abortion has revealed an agenda for easier and more frequent abortions.

Dr Evan Harris MP (Liberal Democrat) led an adjournment debate today in Westminster Hall, in which he called for abortion law and practice to be relaxed alongside a parliamentary inquiry into the upper time-limit for late abortions.

Dr Harris specifically called for:

first-trimester abortions to be made easier;
for the safeguard of two doctors' signatures for abortions to be abolished;
for chemical abortions (using RU486) to be permitted at home ("bedroom abortions"); and
for the 1967 Abortion Act to be extended to Northern Ireland.

Anthony Ozimic, SPUC political secretary, commented after today's debate: "Caroline Flint, the minister replying on behalf of the Government, ominously told the House that the Government is 'putting a lever on primary care trusts' to reduce waiting times for abortions and is currently trialing 'bedroom abortions'.

"The agenda of Marie Stopes and the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) is to use the media hype about ultrasound pictures as camouflage for their campaign to achieve an increase in abortions. The Government will be only too happy to agree with Parliament's pro-abortion majority if it votes to liberalise abortion, as the Government is concerned about NHS performance targets, not protecting unborn children or vulnerable women.

"In the meantime, the Government, alongside the pro-abortion lobby, is putting increased pressure on doctors with a conscientious objection to abortion to co-operate with other doctors who have no such objection(1). The government and pro-abortion MPs like Dr Evan Harris are promoting abortion like pest control and MPs must not be drawn into the upper limit legislation trap."

SPUC's detailed briefing material on the current debate can be read here.

Note:

(1) Recommended standards for Sexual Health Services, March 2005