Controversial plans to allow women to take an abortion pill at home have been pushed through in Wales, despite identical plans being challenged in Scotland.
Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething has announced that the legal framework has now been changed to permit abortions at home, ten weeks after the idea was set in motion.
The approval for doctors to give abortion pills to women to take at home has been issued to health boards.
Legal challenge
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) say it is unclear as to how Mr Gething has made the policy change, “as the Welsh Government does not have the power to amend the 1967 Abortion Act”.
‘Such a move trivialises the rights and lives of their babies’ John Deighan, SPUC Scotland
The pro-life organisation pointed out that the Scottish Government also approved DIY abortions late last year, but this is currently facing a legal challenge.
SPUC Scotland’s Chief Executive John Deighan noted that the Welsh Assembly had conspicuously ignored the legal uncertainty.
Impatient
He said: “There is an ongoing judicial review in Scotland which is examining whether the provision of the abortion pill at home is compatible with the 1967 Abortion Act.
“It seems incredibly rash and high-handed to ignore the process in Scotland. It seems that when it comes to the issue of abortion reason and common sense completely escape some political representatives.
“Can they really not wait a few weeks to learn if the policy they wish to implement is actually legal?”
Backstreet abortions
Deighan added that allowing pills to be taken at home in effect legalises backstreet abortions.
He said: “Such a move not only poses dreadful health risks for many women, but trivialises the rights and lives of their babies.”
