Abortion (Disability Equality) Bill
Nursery World
Friday, October 28, 2016
This bill would remove a clause from the abortion act which allows late term abortions on the grounds of disability.
Section 1(1)(d) of the Abortion Act 1967 states that there are grounds for abortion
“if two registered medical practitioners are of the opinion, formed in good faith ... that there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped”.
In the UK, disability-selective abortions are currently available right up to the moment of birth. Babies without disabilities babies cannot be aborted beyond 24 weeks.
With the announcement of the General Election, the 2016-2017 session of Parliament has discontinued and this bill will make no further progress.
For the bill and related documents click here
