Operation Soteria

Baroness Thornton Excerpts

Thursday 13th July 2023 Lords Chamber

[Lord Stewart of Dirleton (Con)]

My Lords, I am happy to say that my professional arc and that of the noble Lord have coincided, so he and I share experiences in this field. The point the noble Lord makes is—as the noble Lord is—an evergreen one. Certain essentials in relation to these matters exist and will always exist. On the specific matter the noble Lord raises, in my ministerial post I am very conscious of developments in Scotland and assure the noble Lord that, together with the England and Wales law officers—with whom I am in regular contact: we have a meeting once a week—we share with one another data and experiences and the work that we carry out in the field in order best to improve practices in all jurisdictions.

[Baroness Thornton (Lab)]

My Lords, of course, we all welcome any reversal of the catastrophic collapse of rape prosecutions since 2017. However, conviction rates seem to be flatlining. I know that the press release from the MoJ says that more rapists were put behind bars, but if you dig into those figures, that 3% increase meant 12 convictions—I think that is fewer than any year from 2010 to 2018. Will the noble and learned Lord the Minister tell the House when the backlog which leads to two-year waits—which are so corrosive with rape issues and the lack of making progress on rape—is going to be reduced and how?

Offences Against the Person Act: Section 58

Baroness Thornton Excerpts

Thursday 15th June 2023 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Thornton]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recent application of section 58 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

[The Advocate-General for Scotland (Lord Stewart of Dirleton) (Con)]

My Lords, the Government are committed to ensuring access to safe, regulated abortion for all women in England and Wales on the NHS. It would be inappropriate for me to comment on specific criminal cases, especially those which may—and I understand will—be subject to appeal proceedings, or on prosecution decisions made by the CPS independently of government. Abortion is a contentious issue on which the Government maintain a neutral position. It is, however, open to Parliament to propose changes to the law in this area, which, as a matter of conscience, would normally be subject to a free vote.

[Baroness Thornton (Lab)]

I thank the Minister for that Answer, and I thank the Government for decriminalising abortion in Northern Ireland in 2019 and repealing the effect of Sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 at that time, which brought Northern Ireland into compliance with our obligations under CEDAW. Like everyone else, I recognise how distressing and troubling the case is which prompted this Question. One of the effects of the changes in Northern Ireland is that since 2019, evidence suggests there has been an increase of 25% in referrals, but many of them from other parts of the United Kingdom, not including Northern Ireland. These are women and girls, particularly those in bad relationships, or young girls, who are unsure of time limits and are anxious about being investigated by the police and prosecuted. Does the Minister agree that this suggests that the issue to be addressed is ensuring a right to abortion advice and lawful treatment?

[Lord Stewart of Dirleton (Con)]

My Lords, the position is that all women have access to safe and legal abortions on the NHS in England and Wales. As I say, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on specific cases. I remind the House that abortion is a matter devolved to Northern Ireland and, indeed, to Scotland.

Northern Ireland: Misoprostol

Baroness Thornton Excerpts

Wednesday 5th September 2018 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Thornton]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to authorities in Northern Ireland to make the use of Misoprostol legal as is already the case in England, Scotland and Wales.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office and Scotland Office (Lord Duncan of Springbank) (Con)]

Abortion law has been a devolved matter in Northern Ireland since devolution was established in 1999. The Government recognise that this is a sensitive issue and that views are strongly held by both sides. Any reform in Northern Ireland is rightly one for a restored Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive to debate and to discuss and ultimately to decide what policy and laws are right for the people of Northern Ireland.

In response to the specific question posed by the noble Baroness, she will be aware that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is legally prohibited from making such representations under Sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act and the Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland).

[Baroness Thornton (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for that Answer, although it is not surprising and it is completely disappointing, particularly for the women of Northern Ireland. I congratulate the Government on the fact that after Christmas women in England will be able to take the abortion pill Misoprostol at home; I congratulate the Government on taking that decision. Meanwhile, however, in Northern Ireland women are forced online to purchase these pills. They risk prosecution, and indeed have been prosecuted when they have done so. This is a human rights and equalities issue, and that is not a devolved matter. What steps will the UK Government take to end this inequality and the criminalisation of women in Northern Ireland?

[Lord Duncan of Springbank]

The noble Baroness makes an important point. We in England are making significant progress with regard to Misoprostol, but the reality remains that Northern Ireland has a number of challenges, all of which require a full and sustainable Executive to be in place. The last time that wider questions on abortion were discussed, only a few years ago, the diversity of opinion within the Assembly was significant. It is right and proper that these matters be addressed by the elected representatives of Northern Ireland. That is why my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is working tirelessly to bring about a restored Executive.