§ Mr. GummerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations he has received on the legality of the morning after pill in regard to the protection of nascent human life before implantation; and if he will make a statement; [139944]
(2) if he will introduce legislation to amend the Abortion Act 1967 as it applies to the issuing of the morning after pill by pharmacists. [139849]
§ Yvette CooperSo far this year, approximately 45 letters have been received, either direct from members of the public or via hon. Members expressing concern that emergency contraception is a method of abortion. A number of the responses to the public consultation exercise on whether levonorgestrel 0.75 mg should be reclassified from prescription only to pharmacy availability for women aged 16 and over, also expressed similar concerns.
The established legal and medical view is that emergency contraception is not an abortifacient, and therefore the Abortion Act 1967 does not apply to emergency contraception. In 1983 the then Attorney-General concluded
that this form of post-coital treatment (emergency contraception) does not constitute a criminal offence within either sections 58 or 59 of the Offences Against the Persons Act 1861.—[Official Report, 10 May 1983; Vol. 42, c. 237.]