Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the commissioning of abortion services in Northern Ireland, what urgent steps he is taking to ensure that those services are fully (a) funded and (b) staffed.

Funding for all health services is a matter for the NI Executive.

It is our clear position that these are devolved policy matters to be implemented through devolved bodies. As a result, the costs should be met from the Northern Ireland Block grant. The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) will continue to work closely with the Department of Health in taking forward implementation of this important devolved issue. The NIO will also provide advice as appropriate around any relevant requests for funding, and I continue to encourage the Health Minister to ensure that women and girls in Northern Ireland are provided with local, safe and high-quality healthcare.

We made the Abortion Regulations in March 2020 - and remain disappointed with the continuing failure to commission abortion services that are consistent with the Regulations to ensure women and girls have safe local access to this healthcare service. While medical professionals have taken forward some service provision on the ground in Northern Ireland from last April and over 1,100 abortions have been provided to date, more needs to be done.

We have always said that we believe that the commissioning of services by the Department of Health would remain the most appropriate way to progress the matter. However, after a year of engaging to see positive progress made, with no success, the legal duties and moral obligations are such that we have taken further action.

The Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021, which came into effect on 31 March 2021, give the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a power to direct relevant Northern Ireland Ministers, departments and agencies to commission abortion services, consistent with the conditions set out in the 2020 Regulations.

We will not let progress be drawn out indefinitely. We are clear that we want to see concrete progress towards the commissioning of abortion services before summer recess, and if this is not achieved, we will not hesitate in issuing a direction immediately so direct action is taken so that the rights of women and girls can be properly upheld and they can have safe and lawful access to abortion services locally.

We will continue to engage with the Department of Health to try and find a way forward and will provide every opportunity to move forward with commissioning before we have to issue the direction.