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Northern Ireland women to get abortion funding Northern Ireland women to get abortion funding
(35 minutes later)
The chancellor has said the government intends to fund abortions in England for women from Northern Ireland. Women from Northern Ireland will be able to get abortions on the NHS in England, the chancellor has announced.
More than 50 MPs from the major parties had backed a call for Northern Irish women to have abortions for free in England - they currently have to pay.More than 50 MPs from the major parties had backed a call for Northern Irish women to have abortions for free in England - they currently have to pay.
In Northern Ireland abortions are only allowed if a woman's life is at risk or there is a permanent or serious risk to her physical or mental health.In Northern Ireland abortions are only allowed if a woman's life is at risk or there is a permanent or serious risk to her physical or mental health.
The government has been under pressure since agreeing a deal with the DUP.The government has been under pressure since agreeing a deal with the DUP.
The concession came ahead of a vote on the issue in the Commons after an amendment on the issue was selected for debate on the Queen's Speech. The concession came ahead of a vote in the Commons after an amendment on the issue was selected for debate on the Queen's Speech.
Since the election Theresa May no longer has a majority of MPs so has to rely on backing from the 10 DUP MPs - but even then she remains vulnerable to a rebellion from her own side.Since the election Theresa May no longer has a majority of MPs so has to rely on backing from the 10 DUP MPs - but even then she remains vulnerable to a rebellion from her own side.
Philip Hammond was responding to a question from the Conservative Sir Peter Bottomley, who asked why "only the poor should be denied lawful abortions". Northern Ireland's abortion law is much stricter than the rest of the UK - rape, incest and fatal foetal abnormalities are not circumstances in which they can be performed legally. Women in Northern Ireland seeking an abortion can travel to England to have one privately, but had not been allowed to do so free on the NHS - a position that was backed by the Supreme Court earlier this month.
He was among MPs from various parties to sign an amendment, co-ordinated by Labour's Stella Creasy, calling on the government to allow women in Northern Ireland to have abortions for free in England, instead of being charged as they are now. In a debate on the Queen's Speech on Thursday, Chancellor Philip Hammond was asked by the Conservative Sir Peter Bottomley, why, in the case of women from Northern Ireland, "only the poor should be denied lawful abortions".
Sir Peter was among MPs from various parties to sign an amendment, co-ordinated by Labour's Stella Creasy, calling on the government to allow women in Northern Ireland to have abortions for free in England, instead of being charged as they are now.
It was one of three amendments to the Queen's Speech selected for a vote by the Speaker.
Mr Hammond told him that Justine Greening, the minister for women and equalities, "either has made or is just about to make an announcement by way of a letter to members of this house explaining that she intends to intervene to fund abortions in England for women arriving here from Northern Ireland".Mr Hammond told him that Justine Greening, the minister for women and equalities, "either has made or is just about to make an announcement by way of a letter to members of this house explaining that she intends to intervene to fund abortions in England for women arriving here from Northern Ireland".
Ahead of the Queen's Speech debate, Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom told MPs the Equalities Department and the Department of Health were "discussing and looking very closely" at the issue of abortion in Northern Ireland. Another Queen's Speech motion, from the Labour leadership, will call for several of the opposition's manifesto pledges to be adopted, and for a Brexit that delivers the "exact same benefits" of the EU single market and customs union.
This was in response to former Conservative women's minister Maria Miller who asked for a statement on the matter. There will also be a vote on an amendment from Labour's Chuka Umunna, which calls for the UK to remain in the single market and customs union after Brexit - although this is not the policy of Mr Umunna's front bench.
Pressure has been building since the government agreed the £1bn deal with the DUP. The minority Conservative government is facing a series of challenges as it attempts to get its Queen's Speech through Parliament. Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn, whose party made gains but still finished 55 seats behind the Conservatives in the election, said: "Theresa May does not have a mandate for continued cuts to our schools, hospitals, police and other vital public services or for a race-to-the-bottom Brexit.
"We invite MPs from across the House of Commons to take on board the strength of public opinion and desire for change in our country and vote for our amendment to bring forward policies to invest and improve public services, and put money in the pockets of the many not the few."
In Wednesday's Queen's Speech debate, the government saw off Labour calls to scrap the public sector pay cap by a margin of 14 votes.
Votes on the Queen's Speech establish whether a government commands the confidence of the House of Commons. If the Conservatives were to lose them, it could trigger another general election. They are not expected to lose the key one on Thursday because of the deal done with the DUP.
Mrs May, who is attending a meeting of fellow leaders ahead of next week's G20 summit, says the "confidence and supply" arrangement with the DUP brings stability to the government as Brexit talks unfold.
But former education secretary Nicky Morgan has cast doubt on her long-term future, telling the BBC's Newsnight that the party could consider the question of succession as early as October 2018.
"Once that shape of Brexit is concluded, once those deals are very much on the table, the Conservative party must not miss the opportunity at that stage to think about who we want to be our future leader," she said.