Telemedical Abortions

Lord Bishop of London Excerpts

Wednesday 12th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

My Lords, I do understand the point my noble friend makes. I can indeed assure your Lordships’ House that, while the Abortion Act is at the heart of this, we have other Acts of Parliament and, as I said at the outset, it is right that Parliament makes that decision. In addition to the groups my noble friend refers to, we commissioned, for example, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health to develop new safeguarding guidance for children and young people under 18 who are accessing medical abortion services, so we understand her concern and are acting on it.

[The Lord Bishop of London]

My Lords, the extension of the regulations to enable early medical abortion to be provided without requiring in-person medical consultation was a significant change. We have heard about the tragic cases of early medical abortion pills being provided outside the law and women being put at risk as a result. We are now three years on from this change. What data has been collected in that time and what does it tell us about the workability of the new system in providing safe abortions within the law?