New threat to abortion rights
Socialist Organiser1982 1982-12-02Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 6 →
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ON November' 9, in the House of Lords, Lord Robertson of Oakridge introduced an amendment to Section 1 of the 1967 Abortion Act to insert the words "serious' and 'substantially' as follows:
... that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve serious risk to the life of the pregnant woman, or if injury to the physipregnant tal man or the woman or any existing children of her family, substantially greater than if the pregnancy were terminated The second reading be on December 6. It will then have to be debated in committee, which in the Lords is an open debate of the full Huuse, the results would then be reported and the bill would have a third reading and come to a vote. It could be amended at any stage in this process.
It would then go to the Commons, where it would be put at the bottom of all other private members business. It is unlikely to proceed much further, unless the government provides time for it.
However, John Corrie drew Number 1 in the Private Members' Bill Ballot on November 11 and the following three MPs at the top of the list are all anti-abortionists: Norman St John Stevas (C!, Ray Whitney (C), and Donald Stewart (SNP).
Pressure
Although Corrie has said he will not try another anti-abortion bill, there is obviously a great deal of pressure on these MPs from anti-abortionists to take on an abortion bill. The biggest danger is that one of them might take up the bill going through the Lords, which would shorten the Parliamentary procedure considerably.
The National Abortion Campaign is asking supporters to write letters of protest to Lord Robertson (House of Lords, London SW1, with copies to Lord Douglas Houghton, 110 Marsham Court, Marsham St, London SWI - a pro-choice Lord).
NAC also wa nts supporters to write letter 's to the MPs named above (all at the House of Commons, London SW1), urging them not to take up an abortion bill in the Commons.
The titles of Private Members' Bills are to be announced in the Commons on December 1. In anticipation of an abortion bill coming up, NAC has provisionally arranged a meeting un Thursday December 2, 7pın at County Hall, London SE1.
More details: NAC, 278 0153.