Allister Welcomes Amendment to Criminal Justice Bill
27 February 2013
Commenting on the proposed amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill which will ban terminations outside NHS premises TUV leader Jim Allister said:
I welcome the fact that this amendment is to be tabled. On the 26th November last year I asked the Minister for Health to consider just such a change. During questions to the Minister I asked:
Does the Minister agree that to bring certainty and quell the controversy that has arisen from the opening of the Marie Stopes abortion clinic, an option he might consider would be to provide that such termination of pregnancy as may be lawful in certain circumstances could only lawfully be carried out in a National Health Service facility? That would bring that certainty. Would the Minister consider that as a way forward?
I welcome the fact that this suggestion has been picked up on and I look forward to the pro-life majority in the Assembly ensuring that this amendment makes it on to the statute book.
It is important to point out that the law in Northern Ireland on abortion is crystal clear with the abortion being covered by sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and section 25 of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 1945. This situation will remain unchanged by the proposed amendment. This amendment is, as I suggested in November, designed to ensure that the public have confidence that the law is not being flouted by those operating outside the National Health Service and its regulations.
