Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
Whether he has had discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
I understand my Hon. Friend’s keen interest in this matter and was pleased to meet with her to discuss this in October. As she is aware, this is a devolved matter. Following the restoration of the institutions, I would recommend that she engage with the Finance Minister in Northern Ireland to ask what consideration she has given to this issue.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the commissioning of abortion services in Northern Ireland, whether he is taking steps to ensure UK compliance with the recommendations of the 2018 report from the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Regulations we made, consistent with the duty placed on the Government under section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc.) Act 2019, have been in place since 31 March 2020. The Regulations provide a new framework for lawful access to abortion services in Northern Ireland. The Regulations deliver equivalent outcomes in practice to the rest of the UK so that women and girls can enjoy similar rights in accessing abortion services locally in Northern Ireland.
Since April 2020, 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. According to figures released by the Department of Health in October 2020, over 719 abortions have been provided to women and girls locally in Northern Ireland.
My Department and I are continuing to engage and work with the Northern Ireland Health Minister and the relevant Northern Ireland departments, in implementing the remaining CEDAW recommendations on matters for which they are responsible, including the full commissioning of abortion services in line with the Regulations we made, at the earliest opportunity.