Call for easier access to abortions

Updated 14.36 Wed Oct 31 2007

Keywords: abortion

A group of MPs is set to recommend that women be given easier access to abortions - but that the 24-week legal limit remain.

There has been huge disagreement within the Science and Technology Committee over the report, with two of the panel's Tory MPs publishing a minority report calling for the laws to be tightened.

"As a Science and Technology Committee, we have focused on the science, and have done so rigorously" - Phil Willis

The committee found no scientific justification for lowering the current 24-week legal limit, and said the current requirement for two doctors to sign forms before an abortion could go ahead should be removed to stop delays for women seeking the procedure.

And it said nurses and midwives with suitable training and professional guidance should be allowed to carry out all stages of early medical abortions (involving the use of drugs) and early surgical abortions.

The committee's report found no evidence that this would compromise patient safety or quality of care.

In addition, it argued there was no reason why women should not be able to take the second stage of an early medical abortion at home.

Committee chairman Phil Willis said: "Abortion is a complex issue. Legislative decisions are informed by ethical, moral, religious and political views, case law, scientific and medical evidence.

"As a Science and Technology Committee, we have focused on the science, and have done so rigorously.

"We urge all MPs and the public to study the evidence we have taken and the conclusions we have reached."

The main study will now be debated in the House of Commons.