The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) has provoked anger after telling pregnant women that 'sex-selective abortions are not illegal', despite latest government guidelines clearly stating the contrary.
In May 2014, the Department of Health issued new guidance stating: “We are clear that abortion on the grounds of gender alone is illegal and have repeated this in guidance issued in May. All independent providers must comply with this guidance in order to be a licensed provider of abortion.”
BPAS Pamphlet
In a pamphlet entitled "Britain’s Abortion Law, What it Says and Why, BPAS asks: “Is abortion for reasons of sex illegal under the Abortion Act?”
The answer provided is: “No. The law is silent on the matter.”
BPAS claims the Department of Health was aware of the pamphlet and had “no issues” with it.
Outrage
But Conservative MP Fiona Bruce, who is co-chairwoman of the All-Party Pro-life Group said “it was outrageous that a publicly funded organisation still has on its website gender abortion is not illegal, totally contradicting ministerial statements.
“We need urgent action to remove all doubt, clarifying that it is not acceptable to abort in the UK because an expected child is a girl or a boy.”
The Department of Health said: “We are clear that abortion on the grounds of gender alone is illegal and have repeated this in guidance issued in May. All independent providers must comply with this guidance in order to be a licensed provider of abortion.”
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