§ Lord Alton of Liverpoolasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in the light of the decision of the United States Senate to ban partial-birth abortion, they have any plans to prohibit abortion up to birth on the ground of disability. [HL2230]
§ Baroness AndrewsWe are not aware of the procedure referred to as "partial-birth abortion" being used in Great Britain. Methods of termination are monitored through the forms sent to the Chief Medical Officer by practitioners for every termination of pregnancy they perform.
It is accepted parliamentary practice that proposals for changes in the law on abortion have come from Back-Bench Members and that decisions are made on the basis of free votes. The Government have no plans to change the law on abortion.