In recent days a number of constituents concerned
about proposed amendments to liberalise and extend abortion provision in
Northern Ireland, which may be debated and voted on at the second reading of
the Northern Ireland bill this week.
I understand what an important issue Abortion is
for many people. This is an incredibly delicate area of law and, regardless of
the views of individual MPs, one which is treated with the utmost rigour.
While my views as a pro-life MP are well known to
constituents, I believe a more important issue to consider when it comes to
abortion laws in Northern Ireland is how we respect the devolution settlement
in Northern Ireland.
The legislative process in Northern Ireland has
been devolved since the creation of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998 as a
result of the Good Friday Agreement. Abortion laws in Northern Ireland is a
domestic policy issue that primarily affects the people of Northern
Ireland.
Recent polling shows that two-thirds of women in
Northern Ireland (and 70% of 18-34 year olds) believe that the law on this issue
should be a decision for the people of Northern Ireland and their elected
representatives, and is not for Westminster to decide.
In May the Women and Equalities Committee released
two separate reports following their Inquiry into abortion law in Northern
Ireland.
It is important to note that close to 90% of the
submissions to the Inquiry did not want Westminster to change the law on
abortion in Northern Ireland.
It is also worth noting that the Northern Ireland
Assembly has considered the issue of abortion more recently than any other
parliament in the United Kingdom. In 2016, a cross-community vote in the
Northern Ireland Assembly upheld the law on abortion as it currently stands.
While abortion campaigners have been focussing on
changing the law in Northern Ireland, their proposals would also introduce
radical changes to abortion legislation in England and Wales, removing most of
the current legal safeguards around abortion. This is out of touch with the
views of the British public, with polling showing strong support across a
number of policy areas for more safeguards around abortion: (https://wheredotheystand.org.uk/press-release-pre-election-poll-shows-7-10-women-support-reducing-abortion-time-limit-20-weeks/).
In my view the UK Government should not undermine
Northern Ireland’s devolved status by imposing any change to abortion law in
Northern Ireland.
I will continue to oppose any move by Westminster
politicians override the devolution settlement in Northern Ireland, but instead
encourage the government to focus its efforts on the re-establishment of the
Northern Ireland Assembly.
