New policy to give access to free abortions in England for Northern Irish Women

Northern Irish women are currently charged £900 to terminate their pregnancies in England. Labour MP Stella Creasy has proposed an amendment to to provide access to free abortions in England to Northern Irish women.

Labour MP, Stella Creasy brought forward a proposed amendment to the Queen’s speech to provide free abortions for Northern Irish Women.

Creasy stated her intentions of women’s rights through her amendment, “Let us send a message to women everywhere that in this parliament their voices will be heard and their rights upheld.”

Women in Northern Island are charged a hefty fee of £900 for abortion procedures and extra costs for traveling and accommodation in England.

Northern Ireland is very strict in their abortion laws. It is illegal for a woman to have an abortion however they are exempted if they face a possible threat to their life from the pregnancy of if they suffer from mental and physical health issues. The 1967 Abortion Act which legalized abortion did not apply to Northern Ireland.

A Belfast woman bought drugs online to terminate her pregnancy due to insufficient funds which led to a suspended sentence in Belfast Crown Court in April. This case was an example of how current abortion fees have limited Northern Irish women to using illegal means.

MP Creasy revealed the statistics of what Northern Irish women were paying. “The figure of £1,400 is what the Northern Irish women were having to spend to get an abortion here in England and therefore it is welcome that the Government is now saying that they will correct this injustice.

However, you will know, as everyone knows, the devil will be in the detail.”

Greg Clark, business secretary commended Creasy “She has brought to the house an injustice and we will put that injustice right.”

Sir Peter Bottomley, a Conservative MP said “The practical solution of the Equalities Office and health commissioning and funding abortion services will bring justice, as indicated by the judges in the Supreme Court judgement.”

The NHS will not be required to fund the extra costs as the abortions will be financed by the Government Equalities Office.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service described the new policy 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.”

Creasy’s amendment being selected for the Queen’s speech debate became a possible threat to the defeat of the Prime Minister’s government. This new change of policy had led a number of Conservatives to appeal their support to this amendment.

Phillip Hammond from the Conservative Party, announced free abortion treatments will be available to Northern Irish women. He stated to the Commons that this problem was a “matter of great importance.”

Hammond continued on to say that the Minister for Women and Equalities would be making 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.”

Marie Stopes, from the UK reproductive health provider stated, “As UK taxpayers, women in Northern Ireland should be fully entitled to access NHS treatment free at the point of care, including abortion services.

“This is 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.”

Pro-choice estimated that around 1,000 Northern Irish women travelled to Wales, England and Scotland yearly to terminate their pregnancies.

Health Minister, Virginia Bottomley mentioned to the Commons in 1990 that “no Northern Ireland Member of Parliament has ever called for changes in the Northern Ireland abortion laws.”

Decades later, this sensitive yet crucial issue has been appealed in Parliament to make a difference in the current system that limited Northern Irish women.