SPUC urges PM to stop schools from referring girls for abortion London, - The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) is urging the British prime minister to stop schools from being used to give access to abortion.

The preamble to SPUC's petition to Mr Gordon Brown points out that the government is establishing school-based health and sex clinics in all secondary schools.

It is also giving school nurses and advisors (such as Connexions 'personal advisors') a clear remit to promote access to abortion amongst schoolchildren without informing parents.

The main message of the petition is: "We the undersigned call upon the Prime Minister to stop schools being used to promote or facilitate abortion."

John Smeaton, SPUC's national director, said: "Abortion is always a tragedy, and it is a travesty of parental responsibility to have schools confidentially referring for abortion. It means that education institutions come between pupils and their families. The government is failing in its teenage pregnancy strategy and, every time a girl is provided access to an abortion agency by her school, our society also fails both that teenager and an innocent unborn child. Mr Brown must get this stopped."

SPUC has produced a flyer about the petition and supporters can request a copy of the petition by emailing political@spuc.org.uk .