Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2022 to Question 47608 on Females: Discrimination, what recent discussions has he had with relevant stakeholders to help ensure the commissioning of abortion services for women in Northern Ireland.

My Department engages on a regular basis with a number of stakeholders, including the Department of Health, Northern Ireland clinicians, support organisations, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), and the Faculty for Sexual and Reproductive Health (FSRH). To prepare for the possibility of the Government intervening, a team of experts who have expertise and knowledge of commissioning abortion services has been established within the Northern Ireland Office. The team is working at pace with a range of stakeholders to establish a commissioning plan and determine the necessary steps that need to take place to ensure services are delivered without further delay.