Abortion: Northern Ireland

(asked on 13th May 2020) - View Source

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of exercising his powers under section 26 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to direct the Department of Health in Northern Ireland to commission services to comply with section 9 of the Northern Ireland Executive Formation Act 2019; and if he will make a statement.


Answered by
Robin Walker Portrait
Robin Walker
This question was answered on 18th May 2020

In accordance with section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc.) Act 2019, regulations are now in place to make provision for accessing abortions in Northern Ireland.

I am pleased that some service provision has commenced on the ground in Northern Ireland through existing sexual and reproductive health services during this uncertain time.

I recognise the strain on the Northern Ireland health system at present. The Government stands ready to provide whatever support we can to the Department of Health in Northern Ireland to commission full abortion services, in line with the new legislative framework, as soon as possible. Consequently, no assessment has been made of exercising powers under section 26 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

Reticulating Splines