Sir Jeffrey Donaldson: Let Stormont decide on abortion laws

MPs in Westminster voted in July to decriminalise abortion in Northern Ireland if the Stormont Assembly was not up and running by October.

DUP Parliamentary Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson tabled an Urgent Question in the House of Commons this morning following the rejection of the new abortion regulations by the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday.

In response to his question a Northern Ireland Minister said that Stormont must accept new regulations on abortion made in Westminster despite them being rejected by the Assembly.

Commenting afterwards Sir Jeffrey said: “The abortion regulations currently in place in Northern Ireland are the most extreme in Europe. They are more liberal than the rest of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. These regulations were foisted upon Northern Ireland when devolution was in abeyance as a result of a Sinn Fein boycott.

“Importantly the Northern Ireland Assembly has considered the regulations and rejected them on the basis of their discriminatory approach to unborn babies with non-fatal disabilities.

“As Westminster considers these regulations next week, we want MPs to be aware that the regulations are not what the majority in Northern Ireland want. Even pro-abortion parties recognise these are too extreme.

“It is time for the Government to withdraw these regulations and allow the Northern Ireland Assembly to deal with the matter. After all, unlike other issues where the House of Commons is very cognisant of the Assembly’s views, abortion is a devolved matter.”

Responding to Sir Jeffrey’s urgent question in the Commons, Northern Ireland minister Robin Walker said: “I recognise that the Assembly did debate one aspect of the regulations on Tuesday – severe fetal impairment – and passed a motion stating it does not support the provision allowing for abortions in cases of severe fetal impairment without time limit.

“While I respect the Assembly’s right to state their position on this, it doesn’t have any bearing on the legal obligations that have been placed on us by this Parliament.”