Hybribs bill: delay till the Autumn

Briefing.

From SPUC: The report stage of the British government's Human Fertilisation and Embryology bill has been postponed from next week till the autumn. The government insists the bill is still important. The Conservative opposition suggests the government is worried about a forthcoming by-election. [BBC, 10 July] SPUC says the postponement provides more time to lobby MPs on the pro-abortion amendments which have been tabled. John Smeaton, SPUC national director, said: "The effects of these amendments would include reducing medical scrutiny of abortion from two doctors to one, abolishing the need for any legal grounds for abortion up to 24 weeks, allowing nurses and midwives to carry out an abortion, extending locations where abortion can take place to include doctors' surgeries, local health centres, school sick rooms etc., and up to a two-year prison sentence for any pro-life counselling group which 'misled' expectant mothers by its adverts. Over the summer we intends to initiate widespread action highlighting the plight of unborn children and their mothers. We will continue to build our campaign against the Bill and against the pro-abortion amendments to the Bill. SPUC will be urging its supporters and local clergy to contact prospective parliamentary candidates in their constituencies to ask them how they would vote on the pro-abortion amendments if they were in Parliament."