§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what grounds for termination of pregnancy were assumed to exist when a service woman was told by the Army that this was one of three options open to her under which her pregnancy need not have required her to be discharged.
§ Mr. SoamesThe provisions of the Abortion Act 1967 apply to service women as well as to their civilian counterparts; and grounds for termination of pregnancy must be within those specified under the Act, as certified by two medical practitioners in accordance with the procedures laid down under the Act. Before the services introduced maternity leave, a pregnant service woman would have had three options other than seeking termination of pregnancy. These were(a) choosing to leave the service on pregnancy, without returning in the near future; (b) seeking re-enlistment after giving birth, having made arrangements as a working mother for the care of her child; (c) seeking re-enlistment after giving birth, having had the child adopted.