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Northern Ireland women to get abortion funding | Northern Ireland women to get abortion funding |
(35 minutes later) | |
Women from Northern Ireland will be able to get abortions on the NHS in England, the chancellor has announced. | 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 concession came ahead of a vote on the issue in the House of Commons. | |
An amendment on the issue which had cross-party backing, had been selected for inclusion in the Queen's Speech debate - which meant Theresa May's government ran the risk of possible defeat. | |
Since the election Mrs 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 Conservatives MPs. | |
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 have them free on the NHS - a position that was backed by the UK Supreme Court earlier this month. | |
The news of the change of policy was welcomed by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service which described it as a "landmark moment: for years the women of Northern Ireland, despite being UK citizens and taxpayers, have not been entitled to NHS-funded treatment". | |
'Poor denied abortions' | |
And abortion provider Marie Stopes UK said it was "a hugely positive step forward, but there is no reason why these services shouldn't be provided in Northern Ireland, saving thousands of women each year the cost and stress of travelling to the mainland". | |
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". | 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 the amendment, co-ordinated by Labour's Stella Creasy. | |
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". |
The concession came on the same day Belfast's Court of Appeal ruled abortion law in Northern Ireland should be left to the Stormont Assembly, not judges - effectively overturning an earlier ruling that the current abortion laws were incompatible with human rights laws. | |
Following the concession from the government the amendment to the Queen's Speech may well be withdrawn. | |
That would leave amendments to be debated and voted on covering a call for several of Labour's manifesto pledges to be adopted, plus one to ensure that Brexit delivers the "exact same benefits" of the current EU single market and customs union membership. | |
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. | 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. |