Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by the Minister of State for the Northern Ireland Office on 4 June (HC Deb, cols 1018–20), on what basis they were required to bring the Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 to Parliament following the Northern Ireland Assembly’s vote against such regulations.

In accordance with the duty placed on the Government under 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.

The Northern Ireland Assembly has not opposed the Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020.

The debate in the Assembly on 2 June 2020 was focused on one aspect of those regulations, severe fetal impairment, and does not have any binding effects on the Regulations we have made.

The Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 have now been debated in both Houses of Parliament as required under the ‘made affirmative’ procedure and approved by the House of the Lords. The House of Commons will today vote on the Regulations to approve them to remain in force as the law on access to abortion in Northern Ireland.

As abortion remains a devolved issue in Northern Ireland, the Assembly remains able to legislate on abortion, subject to the usual Assembly and other procedures, including compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights. The UK Government will continue to ensure we abide by our domestic and international legal obligations.