Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will hold discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the potential merits of including (a) endometriosis and (b) menstrual wellbeing in the health and wellbeing school curriculum in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Robin Walker
I thank the Honourable Lady for her question on these important issues. Endometriosis affects 10% of women from puberty to menopause - over 1.5m in the UK - and we recognise the importance of the provision of education and information on these matters.
I am in regular contact with ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on a range of important topics, including healthcare. As you will be aware, the Rebuilding Health & Social Care Strategic Framework was published by Minister Swann on 9 June.
However, education and the content of the school curriculum, including on health and wellbeing, in Northern Ireland are devolved matters for the Education Minister to carefully consider.
Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has had made of the implications for his policies of the findings on pages 24 and 26 of the APPG on Endometriosis Inquiry Report 2020 entitled Endometriosis in the UK: time for change, that suggests prior to covid-19, a person suffering from endometriosis in Northern Ireland will wait on average more than 2 years for a laparoscopy, compared to 4 months in England, and what steps he is taking to address this.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Executive’s focus, rightly and understandably, has been on Covid-19. But the pandemic has highlighted the need for urgent health reform in Northern Ireland and as a result, the Rebuilding Health & Social Care Strategic Framework was published by Minister Swann on 9 June.
The UK Government supports the Executive’s commitment to health and social care reform and the £2 billion committed over five years to facilitate NDNA commitments includes around £245m to support the transformation of public services.
As the hon Member will be aware, health and the allocation of funding for public services are devolved matters, within the competence of the Northern Ireland Executive. This includes consideration of the APPG’s recommendations on diagnosis times and surgery waiting times.
Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps the Government is taking to support women from Northern Ireland who are required to travel to England, Scotland or Wales to access abortion services during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Robin Walker
Since the law on abortion in Northern Ireland changed following the Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 coming into force in March 2020, the UK Government has continued to fund arrangements to enable women resident in Northern Ireland to have access to safe abortion services in England under the Abortion Act 1967. The Northern Ireland abortion scheme has been in place in England since June 2017 and the Department of Health and Social Care administers the scheme on behalf of the Government Equalities Office.
The Central Booking Service can also continue to be contacted for support and advice on options available to access abortion services at present. If services are required, all costs of the procedure, including travel and, where needed, accommodation, will be paid for, with no means testing required.
We are continuing to monitor the services being provided where any women and girls from Northern Ireland are still seeking to access services through this scheme.
Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to ensure the swift and comprehensive commissioning of abortion services in Northern Ireland by the Northern Ireland Department of Health; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
Following the Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 that the Government made having come into force in March 2020, we have been working to deliver, through the Northern Ireland Department of Health (DoH), the full commissioning of abortion services, in line with the Regulations we made.
Some service provision has commenced on the ground in Northern Ireland through existing sexual and reproductive health clinics across most Health and Social Care Trusts. I and my officials are in regular contact with DoH in order to understand progress towards the full commissioning of services as soon as possible so that women and girls in Northern Ireland have access to high-quality abortion care in a range of circumstances, equivalent to the rest of the UK.