Abortion Debate Out Of Time

Hours before a Westminster debate and vote was due to take place, partly aimed at extending existing GB abortion legislation to Northern Ireland, it has emerged that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill will now be shelved.

Timetabling means discussions on the amendments on abortion won't now take place and proposals lost are to include a bid for one doctor - not two - to approve an abortion, as well as a move to extend of the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland, where it is illegal, except in medical circumstances.

This effectively means that the Government may only allow debate time on abortion in two years' time.

Earlier, it was revealed that 62% of NI people say that abortion should be legal in cases of rape or incest, according to a survey from fpa (formerly the Family Planning Association) in Northern Ireland.

The survey showed that only a minority of people (20%) questioned said abortion should not be legal in cases of rape or incest.

Dr Audrey Simpson, Director of fpa in Northern Ireland said on Monday: "It is time that the Assembly faced up to the realities of the situation that people in Northern Ireland support the right to choose.

"These statistics can not be ignored and show that MLAs have a responsibility to give women the choice," she said, although a call for Westminster to intervene looks highly unlikely now.

She said that: "If the Assembly are not willing to listen then it is up to Westminster MPs to be the voice of Northern Irish women," a view also backed by Anna Lo, the Alliance Party MLA.

She is one of only two pro-choice politicians at Stormont, who predicted the Bill was the 'last ever chance' to introduce the 1967 Act into Northern Ireland.

"If and when policing and justice are devolved, I fear the DUP and Sinn Fein will ensure no law is introduced to bring us in line with the UK.

"So this is the very last chance for the foreseeable future to extend the 1967 act."

Her views have been proved accurate today having said: "It would be a disgrace if this Bill was shot down through parliamentary trickery", while insisting that "it still won't stop thousands of women travelling to Britain for terminations."

DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson predicting there would be a 'constitutional crisis' if the motion was passed and Catholic bishops warned MPs they would be 'intruding' on the Peace Process by failing to uphold a fundamental value.

It now appears that even debate on the issue will not be taking place as the Government consolidates its position - alleged to partially hinge on support from the Ulster unionists parties - with the severance of the abortion debate being part of the price paid for earlier crucial support.

(BMcC)