Abortion Rights
- Please email or call your MP urgently
We now know that the committee stage of the Human Fertilisation
and Embryology Bill, where we expect amendments to restrict
abortion to be tabled, will be on the 20th May.
The committee stage will be on the floor of the House of
Commons, meaning that all MPs will be able to vote on each
clause and amendments. We have to make our argument to MPs
on this issue, and the other vital issues in the Bill -
including the "father clause”. The timetable is much
shorter than expected, as the bill has been brought forward
in parliament. So, if we are to maintain the current abortion
time limit, the time to act is now.
A range of campaign actions can be undertaken from the
Abortion Rights website - we are affiliated to Abortion
Rights and they are leading this campaign. www.abortionrights.org.uk/content/view/221/1/
We are encouraging as many members as possible to write
to their MP. Please email Abortion Rights to ask for as
many of their postcards as you can use, distribute them
in workplaces, do street stalls, whatever will work. The
phone number and email form are on this link. www.abortionrights.org.uk/component/option,com_contact/Itemid,3/
We are obviously dealing with a very tight timescale here.
As the votes will not be whipped it is vital that we work
to ensure that our MPs know that they cannot stay away in
this vote, that they must be there to stand up for a woman's
right to control her own body and fertility. Some of the
work on lobbying and briefing will obviously be done nationally,
on all the important issues in the Bill, but volume in postbags
matters a lot.
top
Previous news
Abortion Rights' update on proposals to change the abortion
law going through parliament
From www.abortionrights.org.uk/
Following the Queen's speech on 6th November the government's
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill has had its First
and Second Readings in the House of Lords on 7th and 19th
November respectively.
Although the Bill itself does not address abortion, it
is expected that anti-abortion Peers and/or MPs may table
a number of damaging amendments to restrict women's rights
to abortion. In the Lords Second reading debate a stream
of anti-abortion Peers took part in the debate and attacked
current rights with pro-choice Peers speaking in defence
of the 1967 Abortion Act.
Pro-choice MPs are planning to table amendments to improve
the law during the course of the Bill in the Commons. Amendments
in the Lords Anti-abortion amendments that are anticipated
are likely to include:
* Reducing the abortion time limit from 24 weeks to 22,
20 or even 13 weeks. Any such measures would have appalling
consequences for the women who need later abortion. Particularly
over 20 weeks this is a small number of women but each faces
difficult and individual circumstances. Women would be forced
against their will to carry on with a pregnancy. Or, if
they can afford to, women will travel abroad. Some may try
more desperate measures.
* Imposing a 'cooling off' period and compulsory counselling
for all women seeking abortion. Both measures assume women
are not capable of making their own careful decision, creating
further distressing delays and adding pressure at what can
be a difficult time.
We believe women should be trusted with this personal decision.
Amendments in the Lords can be tabled at the Committee stage,
which can begin as soon as the second week in December,
and also at the Report stage and Third Reading which is
expected to take place in January 2008. Pro-choice Amendments
in the Commons After the House of Lords, the Bill will go
the House of Commons around February 2008 where amendments
to restrict rights are expected again as well as a number
of positive amendments to reform the law and improve abortion
access for women These are likely to include:
* Abortion to be available at the request of the pregnant
woman within existing legal time limits by removing the
need of two doctors' signatures.
* Abortion services to be subject to the same statutory
regulations as other medical services (i.e. ending the need
for detailed notification to the Department of Health and
certification by doctors of all abortions; and removing
the need for premises to be specially licensed by the DOH
to carry out abortions).
* Suitably trained nurse practitioners to be allowed to
carry out early medical and surgical abortions, in both
the NHS and non-NHS sector.
* Ensuring accurate information and non-directive support
be available for all women facing an unintended pregnancy.
* The law in Northern Ireland to allow access to abortion
commensurate with rights in the rest of the UK. More detailed
information on timetabling and amendments will be known
as we go along. Campaigning The anti-choice lobby has called
upon its supporters to lobby Peers and MPs. They are arranging
for a briefing of Peers where Professor Stuart Campbell
will show his emotive '4D' scan images. Many Peers and MPs
have not yet decided how to vote. They need to hear from
pro-choice supporters URGENTLY.
Abortion Rights is lobbying Peers and MPs directly and
in alliance with other pro-choice organisations. We will
be organising a public initiative for pro-choice supporters
to make their voices heard during the course of the Bill's
passage in the Lords. Details to follow. We are also planning
a series of public initiatives during the Bill's passage
in the Commons, including a lobby of Parliament and public
meeting. You can help by writing directly to your MP TODAY.
A model letter to help with this is below and attached.
The Bill is expected to take only six months to pass through
Parliament. This provides a relatively short window of opportunity
to mobilise the pro-choice majority and ensure we are successful
in opposing any restrictions to the 1967 Abortion Act and
extending women's reproductive rights.
Please speak to your trade union branch, student group,
colleagues and friends to ask them to get involved, pass
a resolution or organise a discussion or event. Everyone
can sign up for updates and action alerts on the Abortion
Rights website www.abortionrights.org.uk or by joining the
Facebook group Abortion Rights UK. Add your voice to the
pro-choice majority: www.prochoicemajority.org.uk Louise
Hutchins Campaigns Coordinator, Abortion Rights
WRITE TO YOUR MP!
The time has come for a concerted effort to lobby MPs throughout
the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. The anti-choice
lobby is already very active - MPs are receiving dozens
of letters, cards and e-mails. We cannot allow this vociferous
minority to dominate the abortion debate. The most effective
and successful way to lobby MPs is to write them a personal
letter, ideally in your own words. Handwritten letters have
a strong impact on MPs - below is a model letter showing
an example of what you could write and some of the points
you should raise. Encourage your friends / family / colleagues
to write too!
To find out who your MP is and their address go to www.upmystreet.com/commons
or call the House of Commons on 020 7219 3000. Write to
them either at their constituency address, if you know it,
or at: House of Commons London SW1A 0AA
You can also contact them directly at www.writetothem.com
which is a really useful campaigning website.
To make a lasting impact, meet your MP face-to-face during
their weekly surgery. Let them know your concerns about
the anti-choice campaign and the importance to defend the
time limit and existing law. We can provide evidence based
briefings and advice to help prepare your visit. For more
information on the issues to send to your MP download our
briefing paper or other resources from the website.
You could also point them in the direction of the recent
Science and Technology Committee report, or contact Abortion
Rights for further information. Please forward any replies
you receive to Abortion Rights to help us build up a picture
of parliamentary opinion. You can email us at choice@abortionrights.org.uk
or post copies of replies to 18 Ashwin Street, London E8
3DL.
MODEL LETTER:
To .........................MP
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA
Date:
Dear . . . . . . . . . . . .MP,
I am writing to you about the Human Fertilisation and Embryology
Bill which is expected to receive amendments on abortion.
Improving abortion law for women Forty years since abortion
was legalised in Britain, the majority of public opinion
supports the right to choose but women continue to face
unnecessary and sometimes distressing barriers to access.
These could be easily remedied by reforming the 1967 Abortion
Act. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill will provide
a unique opportunity for MPs to support pro-choice amendments,
which are in line with the recommendations of the Commons
Science and Technology Committee report further to their
enquiry into the scientific advances relating to the 1967
Abortion Act.
These will include:
* Abortion to be available at the request of the pregnant
woman within existing legal time limits by removing the
need of two doctors' signatures.
* Abortion services to be subject to the same statutory
regulations as other medical services (i.e. ending the need
for detailed notification to the Department of Health and
certification by doctors of all abortions; and removing
the need for premises to be specially licensed by the DOH
to carry out abortions).
* Suitably trained nurse practitioners to be allowed to
carry out early medical and surgical abortions, in both
the NHS and non-NHS sector.
* Ensuring accurate information and non-directive support
be available for all women facing an unintended pregnancy.
* The law in Northern Ireland to allow access to abortion
commensurate with rights in the rest of the UK.
Defending current rights
I also wish to voice my concerns that anti-choice MPs will
attempt to restrict women's abortion rights, including reducing
the legal time limit for abortion from 24 weeks to 22, 20
or even 13 weeks. Any such measures would have appalling
consequences for the small number of women who need later
abortion - each facing very difficult and individual circumstances.
Women would be forced against their will to carry on the
pregnancy.
Or, if they can afford to, women will travel abroad. Some
may try more desperate measures. Other anti-abortion amendments
expected would impose a 'cooling off' period and compulsory
counselling for all women seeking abortion causing further
delays and distress. I urge you to vote against such damaging
amendments for women.
As a constituent, I would be grateful if you could let
me know your views on these matters. Please do not hesitate
to contact me should you require further information. I
look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
(Sender's signature)
Name
Address
Postcode
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