§ Mr. Kevin McNamara (Hull, North) (Lab)I beg leave to present a petition on behalf of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children against morning-after pills in schools. The hon. Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson), who will follow me, will present a similar petition. I think that I am the last Member of this House to have voted against the pernicious Abortion Act 1967. I therefore completely support SPUC's campaign against the morning-after pill.
The petition reads:
The petition of citizens of the United Kingdom
Declares that the supplying to school children of abortifacient birth control drugs and devices is ethically and socially unacceptable and that such supply without the knowledge or consent of parents constitutes a serious assault on parental responsibility.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons do urge Her Majesty's Government to:
- repeal or revoke any legislation allowing the supply of abortifacient birth control drugs and devices to school children, in particular the Prescription Only Medicines (Human Use) Amendment Order 2000 (SI 2000/1917) and section 63 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001; and
- lay the aforementioned legislation again before the House of Commons, re-drafted so as to prohibit the supplying of abortifacient birth control drugs and devices to school children.
And the petitioners remain, etc.
To lie upon the Table.
§ Mr. David Atkinson(Con) (Bournemouth, East)Following the hon. Member for Hull, North (Mr. McNamara), I, too, beg leave to present a substantial petition on behalf of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children against the morning-after pill in schools. I have been proud to work with that organisation during my 27 years in Parliament, and I fully support its campaign against the morning-after pill.
The petition reads:
The petition of citizens of the United Kingdom
Declares that the supplying to school children of abortifacient birth control drugs and devices is ethically and socially unacceptable and that such supply without the knowledge or consent of parents constitutes a serious assault on parental responsibility. 1725 The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons do urge Her Majesty's Government to:
- repeal or revoke any legislation allowing the supply of abortifacient birth control drugs and devices to school children, in particular the Prescription Only Medicines (Human Use) Amendment Order 2000 (SI 2000/1917) and section 63 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001; and
- lay the aforementioned legislation again before the House of Commons, re-drafted so as to prohibit the supplying of abortifacient birth control drugs and devices to school children.
And the petitioners remain, etc.
§ To lie upon the Table.