PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
ACCESS TO ABORTION (28 April 1998)

Motion Details

leave out from 'effect' to end and add 'expresses, yet again, serious concern at the manner in which abortion virtually on demand is practised under the present law contrary to the promises of its sponsors; notes that two successive Gallup polls among gynaecologists have shown that about 72 per cent. stated that NHS hospitals in which they work or had worked practised abortion on demand thus creating "inequalities" through doctors flouting the law; notes that complaints about inequalities in the NHS have been persistently used by private abortion clinics to justify the enormous numbers of abortions carried out by their doctors practising abortion on demand; recalls the motion passed by a recent BMA junior doctors conference condemning the harrassment of junior doctors exercising their legal right not to be involved in abortion and asking for action to protect them; further notes that as the Social Services Select Committee reported in 1991 many young doctors have had their careers in gynaecology destroyed as a result of their objections to abortion-particularly on demand; and condemns the call for it to be mandatory for all doctors with a conscientious objection to abortion to register thus strengthening the legal framework for a witch-hunt against those opposed to abortion in principle as well as against those doctors who would accept some abortions but, acting responsibly, would object in other cases, such as where the operation could cause damage to the physical or mental health of their patients.'.

Sponsored by:
Mr Joe Benton (Labour)

EDMS Sponsor By Party

Party
Votes
%
 
Conservative
14
44%
 
 
Labour
9
28%
 
 
Ulster Unionist Party
4
13%
 
 
Independent
2
6%
 
 
Not Available
1
3%
 
 
Social Democratic & Labour Party
1
3%
 
 
Democratic Unionist Party
1
3%
 
Sponsor List (32 sponsors)
Party
Member
Constituency
Con
Sir David Amess
Con
Mr David Atkinson
DUP
Lord Bannside
UUP
Mr Roy Beggs
Lab
Mr Joe Benton (Sponsor)
Con
Sir Julian Brazier
Con
Michael Colvin
Lab
Jim Dobbin
Ind
Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson
Ind
Mr Dominic Grieve
Con
Sir John Hayes
South Holland and The Deepings
Lab
Mr Robert Jackson
Lab
Ms Fiona Jones
Lab
Andy King
Con
Sir Edward Leigh
Gainsborough
Con
Sir Peter Luff
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
SDLP
Mr Eddie McGrady
Lab
Mr Kevin McNamara
Lab
Lord Pendry
Lab
Mr Kerry Pollard
Con
Mr Laurence Robertson
Con
Dame Marion Roe
UUP
Mr William Ross
Lab
Mr Frank Roy
UUP
The Rev Martin Smyth
Con
Sir Teddy Taylor
UUP
Mr William Thompson
Con
Sir Ray Whitney
Con
Miss Ann Widdecombe
Con
Ann Winterton
Con
Sir Nicholas Winterton

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