Minister welcomes rise in early abortions

Briefing. This has long been the object of Government policy, as Caroline Flint explains. It raises the serious question of whether attempts by pro-lifers to lower the abortion age-limit are misconceived. Yes, they might get some support in Parliament, but in the context of a drive to make abortions available as quickly as possible, this is not going to save any unborn children. More to the point might be an attempt to give women seeking abortion counselling and simply accurate information, and allow them time to think about their options: as the Winterton Bill sought to do.

From SPUC: A British health minister, Caroline Flint, has welcomed the increase in early abortions and the use of the morning-after pill. She said "We welcome the fact that a higher percentage of abortions are taking place at an early stage ... we have invested £8 million to improve early access [to abortion]..." She admitted the government needed to do more to reduce the number of so-called unwanted pregnancies and called for an improvement in access to contraception. [Times 19 June] Yesterday we reported on how recorded abortions in England and Wales last year exceeded 200,000 for the first time.