Traditional Unionist Voice has published its response to the Northern Ireland Office’s consultation on abortion. You can read the full response here.
Commenting party leader Jim Allister said:
“Not only has abortion been imposed in Northern Ireland in a most undemocratic manner – without any consultation whatsoever with the people or even with medical professionals much less a section 75 impact assessment – but the proposals put forward by the Northern Ireland Office are in some significant ways more lax than even the prevailing situation in Great Britain.
“It is outrageous that at no point in the consultation does the NIO provide space for anyone to articulate an unapologetically pro-life position. In a debate in which the word “choice” is often bandied about it is ironic indeed that no one has the choice to tell the NIO that they don’t want abortion imposed on Northern Ireland. Additionally, TUV makes the point that the questions are framed in such a way as to make the document difficult to respond to by ordinary members of the public who want to preserve the life of unborn children. This is particularly concerning as I have received a huge amount of correspondence from members of the public expressing opposition to abortion. I have no doubt that many of those people would like to be able to respond personally to this consultation but it is obvious that the NIO has no interest in what they wish to say.
“The suggestions put forward in the consultation include unrestricted abortion up to 12 or 14 weeks and even right up to birth in cases where a baby could be born with a disability.
“The dehumanising language of the consultation is chilling. No where in the 42 pages does the word “baby” appear yet this legislation will have a profound impact on those who went into the medical profession to deliver babies. There is no mention of what will happen to babies which survive late term abortions. Will they receive medical treatment or be left to die? There is no detail on what will happen the bodies of aborted babies. Will they be disposed as medical waste?
“It is noteworthy that the consultation itself highlights that the arguments peddled by the abortion lobby about sexual crime are a red herring. The claimed logic for not requiring an explanation for seeking an abortion is complying with the UN CEDAW Report. The Report said that there needed to be provision for abortion in cases of rape and incest but
“The Government … recognises that there are particular difficulties in including rape and incest as specific criteria in law due to the narrow legal definition of ‘rape’ and because incest is not a term currently used in law as it is not a specific criminal offence. Regulations would be required to set out the scenarios involving rape, incest and other sexual crime that would apply for the purposes of lawful termination. This is not an approach that the Government advocates in the case of abortion due to the impact this would have on victims and the high risk that such an approach would result in a legal framework which excludes some victims of sexual crime who are unable to evidence that the pregnancy is a result of such a crime.” (Section 2.1)
“It is transparent from this consultation that the rape and incest argument is a cover for abortion on demand. Furthermore, the reasons cited for opening the door to abortion on demand could reasonably have been employed to make a case that the demands of the UN CEDAW Report were impossible to implement. Rather the Government choose not to oppose the amendment introducing the unworkable criteria, though now wants to exploit it to widen the scope of abortion approved in the legislation.
“Importantly, the NIO proposes changing the system in Great Britain where two doctors must certify that there were lawful grounds for an abortion. In Northern Ireland they are proposing that possibly only one “healthcare professional” be required to do so. The reason cited for this is that “it is likely that there will be a more significant number of people raising conscientious objections than in other parts of the UK.”
“Surely the fact that the Government anticipates such a problem speaks to the rushed nature of the legislation and the lack of local support for what is being proposed? This alone should be reason to make the Government stop and think. The suggestion that Northern Ireland would only require one “healthcare professional” to certify again speaks to the NIO’s desire to impose abortion on demand on Northern Ireland.
“TUV has outlined its strong opposition to the NIO in our response (attached) and will continue to stand unapologetically for the lives of the unborn.”