PRESS RELEASE – 20 June 2006

Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor’s meeting with Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt tomorrow to lobby her to support a reduction in the time limit on abortion is yet another expression of the Catholic leadership's anti-abortion agenda. Speaking ahead of the 2005 general election the Cardinal praised Michael Howard’s call for a time limit reduction saying “This is something we can commend on the way to a full abandonment of abortion.”

Likewise, the parliamentary Early Day Motion issued by Geraldine Smith MP has attracted a majority of support from Conservatives and some of the most hard-line opponents of abortion including Jim Dobbin, Chair of the parliamentary All Party Pro-Life group.

Both Patricia Hewitt and Geoff Hoon, Leader of the House have already resolutely rejected calls to open up a new debate on the issue of abortion.

Anne Quesney, Director Abortion Rights said ‘the debate on later abortion has been driven by those opposed to all abortion and based on misleading statistics and sensationalist headlines. Women’s reasons for needing later abortion have been almost entirely ignored.’

‘Actually, very few women need later abortion. Those who do face complex and distressing circumstances including failure to diagnose pregnancy, serious welfare issues with an existing child or violent abuse. No-one involved takes the decision lightly’.

‘Criminalising such women would not reduce the need for later abortion but would place some in a desperate position – forcing them to travel abroad, find unsafe back-street services or endure a pregnancy against their will.’

'There is no consensus on reducing the time limit. People overwhelmingly support a woman's right to choose and support women up to 24 weeks when they hear women's reasons'.

‘Neither the Catholic church or MPs sitting in parliament should impose their own moral views on women’s lives. The campaign to reduce the time limit is yet another attempt to chip away at reproductive rights by those opposed to abortion.’

Ends For further information and interviews please contact Anne Quesney, Abortion Rights Direct on 020 7923 97 92 or mobile 07909 974 101.

Notes to editor:

1. Abortion Rights is the national pro-choice campaign, working to defend and extend abortion rights and provide a pro-choice voice to the media.

2. Abortion Rights is campaigning to: Liberalise the current UK abortion law and make abortion available on request in the first three months and with one doctor’s signature thereafter. Improve access to, and experience of, abortion – ensure that all women in the UK have equal access to safe, legal and free abortion. Oppose any restrictions to women’s current rights and access to abortion

3. Abortion in the UK One in three women has an abortion in her lifetime 76 per cent of the British population support a woman’s right to choose. Abortion laws in the UK are more restrictive than in almost every other European country, where abortion on request is legal in the first three months of pregnancy Abortion has been legal in Britain since 1967, but only by permission of two doctors and in restricted circumstances. Ten per cent of GPs consider themselves to be conscientious objectors and frequently refuse to grant women an abortion, despite General Medical Council guidelines. A quarter of women having abortions in England and Wales have to pay for them - there are no public funds available specifically to help poorer women in these circumstances

4. For an evidence based briefing sheet on why some women need later abortion please see www.vfc.org.uk

For the Marie Stopes International primary research document on later abortion please see www.mariestopes.org.uk/uk/whats-new.htm