UUP Members welcome Minister’s statement on Northern Ireland’s abortion law
Following today’s debate on the requirement handed down by the Courts to the Department of Health to issue guidelines on the legal termination of pregnancy, Ulster Unionist MLAs John McCallister and Danny Kennedy have welcomed Health Minister Michael McGimpsey’s statement that he is not seeking and will not seek to change Northern Ireland’s abortion law.
Mr. McCallister said, “today’s debate on abortion clearly shows that opinion in the Assembly remains resolutely opposed to any attempt to extend the 1967 Act to Northern Ireland. Both the motion and the amendment reaffirmed and reasserted the existing legal position – that abortion is unlawful except when necessary to save the mother’s life or to prevent her physical or mental harm. As I stated in my speech, I oppose the extension of the 1967 Act to Northern Ireland and any attempt to undermine the existing law in this part of the United Kingdom. It is of fundamental importance that the Department of Health, in discharging its legal obligation to bring forward guidelines on the lawful termination of pregnancy, ensures that the guidelines are entirely consistent with the existing law. It is therefore to be welcomed that the Minister has said that the proposed guidelines are being reviewed to ensure that this is so”.
Mr. Kennedy also emphasized the strong support within the Assembly for maintaining Northern Ireland’s present abortion law. He said, “as a member of the Assembly’s All-Party Pro-Life Group, I – like my colleague John McCallister – am firmly opposed to any attempt to undermine Northern Ireland’s existing abortion law. The 1967 Act which applies in the rest of the UK has resulted in more than 1 in 5 pregnancies in GB ending in an abortion. No right-thinking person can accept such a situation as desirable. This is why the amendment moved by myself and my colleague explicitly stated that the guidelines to be brought forward by the Department must be consistent with the existing law. I welcome the Minister’s clear and unambiguous declaration that he is not seeking and will not seek to change Northern Ireland’s abortion law”.