Abortion (Sex-Selection) Bill

Lord Steel of Aikwood Excerpts

Tuesday 16th December 2014 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, we are not moving in that direction partly because it is frequently not possible to determine the sex of the foetus after an abortion.

[Lord Steel of Aikwood (LD)]

Does the Minister agree that sex-selection abortion is not just illegal, as he says, but totally abhorrent? Does he further agree that, as the BMA has said that in some rare medical cases it may be necessary, it is really up to his department to issue clearer guidance as the Bill to which my noble friend referred is a 10-minute rule Bill that is not going anywhere? It is up to the department to issue guidance on this matter.

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, we issued guidance in May of this year. It sets out the expectations around the procedure to be adopted by the two doctors involved: certifying that an abortion meets the criteria set out in the Act by considering the individual circumstances of the woman and how they reached their decision. The guidance also reaffirms our position that abortion on the grounds of gender alone is illegal.