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Embryo bill postponement gives more time to lobby
London, 10 July 2008 - The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) says the Government's postponement of the report stage of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill will provide more time to lobby MPs on the pro-abortion amendments which have been tabled.
John Smeaton, SPUC national director, said: "The effects of these amendments would include:
- reducing medical scrutiny of abortion from two doctors to one;
- abolishing the need for any legal grounds for abortion up to 24 weeks;
- allowing nurses and midwives to carry out an abortion;
- extending locations where abortion can take place to include doctors' surgeries, local health centres, school sick rooms etc.;
- up to a 2 year prison sentence for any pro-life counselling group which "misled" expectant mothers by its adverts
"Over the summer months SPUC intends to initiate widespread action highlighting the plight of unborn children and their mothers. We will continue to build our campaign against the Bill and against the pro-abortion amendments to the Bill. SPUC will be urging its supporters and local clergy to contact prospective parliamentary candidates in their constituencies to ask them how they would vote on the pro-abortion amendments if they were in Parliament.
"Such amendments, if approved by Parliament, will greatly increase the numbers of abortions, increase the growing number of women harmed by abortion, and place even greater pressure on women to submit to abortion - often under pressure from boyfriends or other parties motivated by self-interest. It is important to make this Bill, and the proposed pro-abortion amendments, an issue for parliamentary candidates at the next general election."
Debate on the bill is likely to be after the summer recess.
