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Written Question
Abortion
Thursday 20th August 2020

Asked by: Baroness O'Loan (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many at-home abortions beyond 9 weeks and 6 days have been reported; and what was the gestational age of each, since the temporary order to allow them commenced.

Answered by Lord Bethell

The Department will be publishing an additional official statistics release of abortion data covering the COVID-19 period from January to June 2020 on 10 September. The Code of Practice outlined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 prohibits the pre-release of official statistics before the due date of publication.

Written Question
Abortion: Northern Ireland
Thursday 31st October 2019

Asked by: Baroness O'Loan (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether women in Northern Ireland considering an abortion between 22 October 2019 and 31 March 2020 will be offered counselling equivalent to that offered to women in England and Wales.

Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford

The Northern Ireland Executive was not restored by 21 October 2019, so section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019 has now come into force, providing for the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland in relation to sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. The United Kingdom Government is now under a duty to bring forward regulations to introduce a new legal framework for abortion in Northern Ireland by 31 March 2020 and has published guidance for healthcare professionals in Northern Ireland on abortion law for the period 22 October 2019 to 31 March 2020. This makes clear that abortion services are not expected to be routinely available in Northern Ireland before 31 March 2020.

The UK Government-funded Central Booking System (CBS) has been in operation since March 2018 as a single point of contact for women in Northern Ireland to access abortion care in England. The CBS, and abortion care provided under the scheme, will continue to offer the same service and care package to women from Northern Ireland between 22 October 2019 and 31 March 2020. During this period women from Northern Ireland will be able to have all travel and, where needed, accommodation paid for without any means testing. The package of care offered to women from Northern Ireland is equivalent to the package of care offered to women from England and includes a consultation including impartial information/advice, and where needed, counselling with an abortion provider in England.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 06 Jun 2018
Abortion

"Can the Minister confirm, given the decision by a majority of the democratically elected Northern Ireland Assembly made in February 2016—an Assembly elected by the men and women of Northern Ireland—that it does not wish to change abortion law, and given that it has been recognised since the Government of …..."
Baroness O'Loan - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Fri 24 Feb 2017
Abortion (Disability Equality) Bill [HL]

"My Lords, I pay tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Shinkwin, for bringing the Bill before your Lordships’ House. It is very important that we come back to what the Bill deals with and possibly leave behind some of what I might regard as the slightly unwarranted assertions that we …..."
Baroness O'Loan - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 24 Feb 2015
Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015

"My Lords, I very much support the Motion that has been tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Deben, for the reasons he very articulately expressed. The Minister has reassured us significantly about these regulations, but he did express many of the uncertainties that remain. In moving his Motion, the noble …..."
Baroness O'Loan - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 24 Feb 2015
Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015

"I thank the noble Lord for that intervention. However, the research shows that there is a shortage of women donors.

Eggs used have to be extracted from women’s ovaries by a process known as controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, which can lead to complications for women. According to the Royal College of …..."
Baroness O'Loan - View Speech

View all Baroness O'Loan (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 24 Feb 2015
Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015

"I thank the noble Lord for his intervention. It remains the case that there is a shortage of donated eggs. My concern is for the women who are asked to donate eggs...."
Baroness O'Loan - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 24 Feb 2015
Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015

"I thank the noble Lord for that intervention. I am not arguing against this process; I am arguing against the introduction of these regulations at this time in the absence of sufficient knowledge and protection. We have to look at the factors, as the noble Lord, Lord Alton, said. Being …..."
Baroness O'Loan - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 14 Oct 2013
Care Bill [HL]

"My Lords, I support my noble friend’s amendments, particularly because of their implication for human rights. Care and support for many older people and for disabled people underpin and enable the enjoyment of those rights. They make possible a decent life of dignity; they make possible the ability to enjoy …..."
Baroness O'Loan - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 02 Jul 2012
NHS: Definition of Exceptional Case

"Given the vulnerability of the patients, the exceptional nature of the illness in such cases, and the consequential problems in terms of access and capacity to appeal, will the Minister tell the House what arrangements exist to scrutinise the fairness and consistency of decisions by PCTs and by their exceptional …..."
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