Women in Northern Ireland are clearly looking for better options than abortion according to the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC). As the Court of Appeal hears the case of R(A and B) v. Secretary of State for Health, SPUC has pointed to the declining number of Northern Irish women travelling to England to get an abortion.
"15 years ago, around 1,600 women were going to England to have abortions. This figure has dropped steadily since then with only 802 recorded in 2013", said Liam Gibson, SPUC Development Officer in Northern Ireland. "This tells us that women in Northern Ireland facing a crisis pregnancy are looking for better options. Help is available for any woman who feels she cannot cope. Abortion is never a solution."
The case before the Appeal Court today is a further attempt to get the Secretary of State for Health in England to give women from Northern Ireland 'free' abortions on the NHS.
Mr Gibson said: "The right to life of unborn children in Northern Ireland is protected by the law. This case serves the interests of the abortion industry. It is not about the welfare of women and the lives of their children."
Antonia Tully of SPUC can be contacted on 07926 007175 or 020 8407 3463. SPUC's communications department can be contacted on: