PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
At home abortions (10 May 2021)

That this House recognises that legalising the unsupervised self-administration of both sets of abortion pills at home following a telephone or digital consultation has placed women’s safety at risk by removing a routine in-person appointment which allows medical practitioners to certify gestation and potential coercion or abuse; expresses concern that abortion providers cannot ensure the pills prescribed are taken by the intended individual in safe, uncoerced circumstances within the appropriate time-frame; expresses further concern for underage sexual abuse victims and women in abusive relationships; notes that the policy has allowed illegal late-term abortions to occur, including at 28 weeks of gestation, as well as severe complications such as haemorrhaging; further notes that complications are likely being significantly underreported for a number of reasons, including that complications may occur after the Abortion Notification (HSA4) form has been submitted; acknowledges that polling in England shows the overwhelming majority of women and GPs surveyed were concerned by the possibility of pills being falsely obtained for another person and by women having medical abortions at home beyond the legal limit; and calls on the Government to end the practice of at-home abortion with immediate effect.

Sponsored by:
Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party)