Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to review the scope of statutory protections for healthcare professionals who conscientiously object to participating in abortion procedures.

There are no plans to review the scope of statutory protections for healthcare professionals who conscientiously object to participating in abortion procedures. In England and Wales the right to refuse to participate in terminations of pregnancy, other than where the termination is necessary to save the life of, or prevent grave injury to, the pregnant woman, is protected by law under section 4(1) of the Abortion Act 1967.