Abortion: Northern Ireland

(asked on 10th June 2021) - View Source

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, whether he has plans to allocate long-term funding for the maintenance of a central access point for abortion care.


Answered by
Robin Walker Portrait
Robin Walker
This question was answered on 16th June 2021

The Government recognises the importance of consulting with experts, counselling and other support services to support women and girls in accessing services and making individual decisions on these matters. I put on record my thanks to Informing Choices NI for providing a central access point for early medical abortion services, working alongside medical professionals in all Health and Social Care Trusts. I also appreciate the wider support and post pregnancy counselling services Informing Choices NI is providing to women and girls in Northern Ireland.

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.

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