§ 61 and 63. Commander Keransasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will take powers to authorise medical practitioners to terminate pregnancies of women who have taken, as prescribed, the drug distaval;
(2) whether, in view of the number of deformed children now being born as a result of the prescribing of the drug distaval, he will introduce legislation whereby in future cases of extreme deformity medical practitioners may be authorised to apply euthanasia.
§ Mr. BrookeAlthough it may be lawful to terminate a pregnancy in order to preserve the mother's life or mental or physical health, it is an offence to do so in any other circumstances. On the information at present before me, including the consideration that this drug was withdrawn last November, I should not feel justified in introducing legislation to amend the law in this respect or to make it lawful to take the life of a child already born.