Circular from Peter Saunders, General Secretary of Christian Medical Fellowship to all CMF members.
Reproduced for CCFON by agreement.
Liberalisation of the Abortion Act. Can you run one last lap with us?
From previous communications you will have heard the sad news that amendments to the HFE Bill on animal-human hybrids, saviour siblings, fathers and abortion upper limits were all lost on 19-20 May.
You may also be aware that there were a record number of 198,499 abortions in England and Wales in 2007 according to figures released on 19 June. Scottish figures this year were also the highest ever.
Things could be about to get even worse as the HFE Bill reaches Report Stage in the House of Commons on 14 July when it can be further amended.
Evan Harris and two other MPs have put down two amendments to the Abortion Act; one effectively allowing abortion on request up to 24 weeks with one doctor’s signature only (ie. removal of physical and mental health grounds) and the other allowing nurses and midwives to perform abortions.
The law already allows the Secretary of State to approve premises for abortion, so these amendments, if passed, will make abortion like any other medical procedure (ie. Informed consent only required) and allow nurses to perform medical abortions in GP surgeries, polyclinics, cottage hospitals and family planning centres with completion at home.
Evan Harris also brought a motion to the BMA ARM on 10 July. On the surface this appears to endorse conscientious objection but this right is already granted in the Abortion Act. The real intention is to bar doctors with conscientious objection to abortion from counseling patients with unplanned pregnancies and to force them to refer such patients to colleagues.
A briefing paper (http://www.cmf.org.uk/ethics/abortion_law_liberalisation.htm) on all these proposed changes gives more background information.
CCFON members have responded magnificently over the last year in prayer, encouragement, support, and in contacting MPs and the Prime Minister. Can you run one last lap with us? Please write urgently and before 14 July to:
The Prime Minister asking Mr Brown to exert his influence to uphold the government’s position that the Abortion Law should not be amended
Your MP asking him or her to vote against the Harris amendments. You can find out your MP’s views on abortion on the Alive and Kicking Website
A further briefing paper (http://www.cmf.org.uk/ethics/letter_writing_on_abortion.htm) on the CMF website gives a number of points that you could make.
Please say what effect these unnecessary changes would have for both women and the unborn and upon medical practice itself and urge the PM and your MP to oppose any liberalisation of the law.
If you can make time to send a letter by post, this will be even more effective than an email. You can write to both the PM and your MP at the House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA.
Finally please pray that for sake of mothers, babies, doctors and society the abortion law will not be further liberalised.
Thank you!