Abortion Law

EDM number 2009 in 2007-08, proposed by Chris McCafferty on 09/07/2008.
Categorised under the topics of Health services and Medical ethics.

That this House supports access to safe abortion as early as possible for women who need one; recognises that medical ethics, practice and social attitudes about abortion have progressed since the Abortion Act was framed in 1967; is concerned that the current legislation imposes clinically unnecessary restrictions which cause delays, resulting in abortion taking place at a later gestation than is necessary; notes the Science and Technology Committee's recent inquiry into the `Scientific Developments relation to the Abortion Act 1967' which found no evidence to support the need for two doctors' signatures for a woman to have an abortion; recommended that suitably trained healthcare practitioners as well as doctors should be permitted to perform abortions, that the restriction on the locations where abortions could take place should be removed to give women the choice of completing the second stage of early medical abortion at home; further notes these recommendations are supported by the RCOG, the RCN, the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, fpa, Antenatal Results and Choices, Abortion Rights, the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, Marie Stopes International, Doctors for a Woman's Choice on Abortion and Brook; further notes these organisations support provision of safe abortions in other primary care settings as a way to increase choice, improve access and minimise delay; and urges hon. Members to support amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill to modernise the law and improve women's early access to abortion.

This motion has been signed by a total of 60 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.