The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), has strongly condemned a report from the Scottish Abortion Law Review Group as “destructive” and “disastrous for the women and future generations of Scotland” and called for Scottish lawmakers to “see sense” and ignore the proposals.
Michael Robinson, General Secretary of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) said; “These disastrous and destructive proposals would mean abortion up to birth with practically no restrictions, they completely disregard the human rights of the unborn child, recognised in international law.” He added;
“The proposals do not reflect the will of the public, most of whom are not in favour of extending abortion time limits, we call on MSP’s to see sense and ignore these horrific proposals.”
The group’s report, proposing changes to the abortion law in Scotland, if accepted would bring about the largest extension of access to abortion since 1967. The most significant proposals include:
- Prior to 24-weeks’ gestation (the current legal time limit), all grounds for abortion be removed and only one doctor’s signature should be required. This would mean on demand abortion, for any reason, up to 24 weeks.
- Beyond 24 weeks, abortion be available if two doctors ‘decide abortion is appropriate’.
- Decriminalise abortion for women acting in relation to their own pregnancy at any gestation.
Taken together, these proposals will effectively legalise abortion up to birth with few, if any, substantive restrictions. Additional proposals include:
- Repeal of The Concealment of Birth (Scotland) Act, which would remove any offence for people concealing the disposal of the bodies of baby’s delivered following abortion at home
- Calls for the Scottish government to include ‘a duty to provide abortion services’ – enshrining in law a ‘right to abortion’.
Note to Editors
The ‘Expert group’ convened by the Scottish Government last year had already been widely criticized for the lack of balance within its membership. Of thirteen members, six are abortion providers or practitioners, six support a recent pro-decriminalisation report and two are linked to a group which campaigns for more liberal abortion laws. Ten have already expressed a view in favour or represent organisations that support decriminalisation of abortion. None represent a pro-life constituency or organisation. The President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, Bishop John Keenan claimed the group lacked “credibility and legitimacy”.
The group’s decision to establish a ‘non-regression principle’ ensured that their advice to the Government would never include a reduction in time limits or grounds for abortion, no matter what evidence was presented to them.
Scotland’s 24 week limit is already far beyond the norm in Europe where twelve-week limits are the norm, it is also beyond the stage of viability, as increasingly, babies born before twenty-four weeks survive.
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