Abortion

(asked on 11th May 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the law on abortion to make it easier for women with complex medical conditions to access abortion services.


Answered by
Jackie Doyle-Price Portrait
Jackie Doyle-Price
This question was answered on 21st May 2018

Parliament decided the circumstances under which abortion can be legally undertaken. As with other matters of conscience, abortion is an issue on which the Government adopts a neutral stance. It is accepted Parliamentary practice that proposals for changes in the law on abortion come from back-bench members and that decisions are made on the basis of free votes.

The Department recognises that some women with complex medical needs face challenges in accessing timely abortion care and is working with NHS England to ensure there are sufficient facilities in the National Health Service to provide abortions for women who have medical conditions.

Currently clinical commissioning groups are responsible for commissioning NHS-funded termination of pregnancy services in England. Ministers have agreed that in 2018/19 NHS England will become the responsible commissioner for a small number of terminations, estimated at between 2,500 and 3,000, where the woman has significant comorbidities, which require critical care and/or medical support that would only be available in co-located NHS facilities. A national service specification will be developed to formally commission this service.

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