Abortion: Northern Ireland

(asked on 22nd October 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment the Government has made of the equity of provisions regulating providers of private abortion services in Northern Ireland and England and Wales from 22 October 2019 to 31 March 2020.


Answered by
Caroline Dinenage Portrait
Caroline Dinenage
This question was answered on 28th October 2019

Given that the Northern Ireland Executive was not restored by 21 October 2019, section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 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.

The UK Government has also published guidance for healthcare professionals in Northern Ireland on abortion law for the period 22 October 2019 to 31 March 2020 which can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-the-law-in-northern-ireland

This makes clear that abortion services are not expected to be routinely available in Northern Ireland before 31 March 2020. Accordingly, no comparative assessment has been made of the equity of provisions regulating providers of private abortion services in Northern Ireland and England and Wales from 22 October 2019 to 31 March 2020.

Reticulating Splines