Reserved Matters

Part of Orders of the Day — Schedule 5 – in the House of Commons at 6:45 pm on 31 March 1998.

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Photo of Frank Roy Frank Roy Labour, Motherwell and Wishaw 6:45, 31 March 1998

I shall speak against the amendment. I have a deep belief in the sanctity of life and therefore believe passionately in the right of life of the unborn child. That belief applies to the unborn child throughout the United Kingdom and not only in the towns and cities of Scotland.

Abortion and its human consequences are not just matters of health to me and to the many whom I represent. Abortion is an ethical issue that is above the clinical terms that are used to end the life of any unborn child. It is an ethical issue that should be above political point scoring. My constituents know and understand my pro-life stance.

In all conscience, I cannot support an amendment that pigeon-holes abortion and the right to life as purely health matters. Similarly, I cannot support an amendment that could lead to cross-border traffic in human sadness. The thought of seriously troubled women—[Interruption.]