Decriminalising abortion: how could the House of Lords amend the legislation?

"Last summer, MPs voted to decriminalise abortion, with an amendment to the crime and policing bill now adopted as a clause put forward by Tonia Antoniazzi, a Labour backbencher. Support was overwhelming, with 379 in favour and 137 against. Under the legislation, which is yet to be enacted, women who end their pregnancies outside the legal framework will not be prosecuted."

"That framework which includes the need for two doctors' signatures and has time limits at which terminations can be carried out remains the same, and doctors who act outside the law still face prosecution. Harriet Wistrich, a solicitor and chief executive of the Centre for Women's Justice, said police did have discretion over whether to make an arrest."

"Nine amendments have been laid on abortion so far, including proposals to have a police investigation of every girl under 16 who accesses a legal abortion and a proposal for the first new abortion offence in nearly 100 years. The key amendments are two broadly pro-choice and two broadly anti-abortion proposals."

Last summer, Parliament voted overwhelmingly to decriminalize abortion, with 379 MPs supporting and 137 opposing an amendment to the crime and policing bill. Under this legislation, women who end pregnancies outside the legal framework will not face prosecution, though the existing framework requiring two doctors' signatures and time limits remains unchanged. Doctors acting outside the law still face prosecution. The House of Lords is now considering nine amendments to the legislation, including both pro-choice and anti-abortion proposals. Key amendments include proposals for police investigations of girls under 16 accessing legal abortions and creation of new abortion offences. Pro-life Conservative peer Rosa Monckton has proposed a strikethrough amendment seeking to delete provisions from the legislation.

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