Abortion: Northern Ireland

(asked on 3rd June 2020) - View Source

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make an assessment of the implications for the Government's policy of the Northern Ireland Assembly opposing the extension of abortion regulations to Northern Ireland.


Answered by
Robin Walker Portrait
Robin Walker
This question was answered on 9th June 2020

The Northern Ireland Assembly has not opposed the Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020.

The debate in the Assembly on 2 June 2020 was focused on one aspect of those regulations, severe fetal impairment, and does not have any binding effects on the Regulations we have made.

As abortion remains a devolved issue in Northern Ireland, the Assembly remains able to legislate on abortion, subject to the usual Assembly and other procedures, including compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights. The UK Government will continue to ensure we abide by our domestic and international legal obligations.

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