Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“The abortion statistics published today by the Department of Health will doubtless shock many people but there is a need for much greater clarity on the issue.
“For one thing, the numbers published today underestimate the number of abortion when compared to data which I have obtained via Assembly questions. The statics released today would leave one believing that there have been 5,497 abortions since the law was changed. However, in an Assembly answer to me on 8th February the Minister advised that there had been 7,681 abortions since protections for the life of the unborn were removed. In a more recent answer (10th May) the Minister advised that number had risen to 8,488.
“How does this match up with the information released today which appears to grossly underestimate the number of abortions?
“Secondly, the Department continues to conceal important data about abortions performed in Northern Ireland which are published elsewhere in the UK. In GB the reason for abortion, the socioeconomic background of the mother and other information is available but not in Northern Ireland. I received an assurance from the Minister three weeks ago that this situation would change when today’s data was published but it appears that is not the case. Why?”
Note to editors
Mr Allister’s questions and the answers received are below.
AQW 5954/22-27
Mr Jim Allister KC
Traditional Unionist Voice
North Antrim
Tabled Date: 08/02/2024
Answered On Date: 15/02/2024
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Health how many abortions have been performed since 15 November 2021.
Answer:
The Department is unable to provide the information requested from the date of 15 November 2021. However, since the introduction of the Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No 2) Regulations 2020 on 31 March 2020, there have been a total of 7,681 abortions carried out in Northern Ireland to date.
AQW 11740/22-27
Mr Jim Allister KC
Traditional Unionist Voice
North Antrim
Tabled Date: 10/05/2024
Answered On Date: 23/05/2024
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Health, pursuant to AQW 5954/22-27, to provide a breakdown of abortions carried out by location.
Answer:
The following table shows the number of abortions carried out in each Health and Social Care Trust area from April 2020 to date:
Trust Area
Number
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
2,581
Western Health and Social Care Trust
630
Southern Health and Social Care Trust
1,474
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
1,858
Northern Health and Social Care Trust
1,947
Extract from Assembly Hansard of 30th May 2024
Abortion Data
5. Mr Allister asked the Minister of Health to outline why data is not published in relation to abortions in Northern Ireland, similar to the statistics published for England and Wales. (AQO 559/22-27)
Mr Nesbitt: I thank the Member for his question. The Department will publish comprehensive data relating to abortions in Northern Ireland on 20 June this year. It will cover the three-year period from the introduction of the Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations on 31 March 2020 to 31 March 2023.
My understanding is that the Department’s annual publications had under-reported the number of abortions in Northern Ireland since the law was changed in 2020. That is recognised, and, although the accurate totals have been disclosed regularly through Assembly questions for written answer, I assure the Member that they will be corrected in the forthcoming publication for each of the three reporting years.
The issue arose because the methodology in place prior to the law change was set up to capture only those procedures involving hospital admissions. However, since the introduction of the 2020 abortion regulations, the majority of abortions in Northern Ireland are early medical abortions and take place in an outpatient setting.
Following an instruction from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to the Department on 2 December 2022 to formally commission abortion services, a process has been under way to verify up-to-date statistics from the date of the law change in Northern Ireland. Those are the statistics that will be published later this month.
Mr Allister: It is concerning to hear about under-reporting, considering 8,000 have been reported in the figures already. Will the Minister assure me that we will now see the sort of data that we see from England and Wales, which indicates the age of the mother and the medical cause? England and Wales publish whether it is related to Down’s syndrome, spina bifida or something else. Will all of those things now appear? It is important that people know how many babies with spina bifida or Down’s syndrome are being killed in the womb.
Mr Nesbitt: I assure the Member that, as is the case with all abortion publications in England, Wales and Scotland, the forthcoming publication for abortions in Northern Ireland will provide a breakdown of abortions by age; by health and social care trust; by the statutory grounds for abortion, which will be based on the Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020; by gestation; and by method of abortion.