Contributions
836 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandMy right hon. Friend makes a strong point about devolution. It is absolutely right that the devolved Administrations have the ability to move on and deliver on their own affairs,…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. We are not seeking to reopen the debate on the Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2020, as they were approved by a significant majority of…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandThe hon. Lady has outlined some of the harrowing examples that too many of us have heard or read about. We need to ensure that that does not happen to women and girls in the…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandA few points arise from what the hon. Gentleman has just outlined. First, the action we have taken this week was outlined on the Floor of the House during oral questions. We laid…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandMy hon. Friend makes a very important point. I absolutely respect that point and his feelings on the issue. He is right that abortion remains a devolved issue, as others have…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandI do recognise the point the hon. Gentleman has made, and it is a point he has made to me directly on a number of occasions, about the unborn child. I appreciate that this is an…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandI hope that the hon. Gentleman will see that our laying these regulations now is a clear indication that we are not in a position where we think it is appropriate for this to be…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandThe hon. Lady makes an important and powerful point, which does not surprise me, because I know that she has worked hard on this issue and been a strong proponent of it for some…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandAs I have said, the legal duties imposed by a significant majority of Parliament in mid-2019 are such that I have an ongoing role legally in this issue, and that duty did not fall…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandI recognise that Parliament stepped in at the time it did in the way it did and imposed this duty on me on human rights grounds. However, the duty to implement the CEDAW…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandThe hon. Gentleman has outlined the strength of feeling, and as I said earlier, I appreciate that there are strong feelings on this issue. It is a sensitive issue across the…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandAs I have outlined, these regulations are about the UK Government fulfilling our legal obligations imposed by Parliament in 2019, and it is about ensuring that women and girls in…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandI say to my right hon. Friend that this is a matter of domestic law; I have been clear about that. It is about the legal obligation taken forward from this House in 2019. It…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandThe hon. Lady makes a very important point. Even putting aside the legal and moral obligations of this House to ensure that the right healthcare is being provided in Northern…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandMy right hon. Friend is absolutely right. I give her my assurance that we will continue to work with the Department of Health to ensure that it commissions these services as…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandI appreciate all the right hon. Lady’s comments. There are two clear messages. First, I thank all those medical professionals for the work they have been endeavouring to deliver;…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandAs I said earlier, I absolutely recognise the sensitivity and the strength of feeling of people across the House, in some cases, and as the right hon. Gentleman outlines, in…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandOn this occasion, Parliament stepped in on human rights grounds to ensure that women and girls have equal treatment and equal access to important healthcare services available to…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandWe are talking to the Department of Health all the time, and we will obviously continue to—I myself have spoken to the Minister of Health consistently. This is something that the…25 Mar 2021HANSARDAbortion in Northern IrelandMy right hon. Friend highlights the point that the simple answer is too many. To be frank, any single case is one too many, particularly if we think about the circumstances…25 Mar 2021