I want to write to Lord Shinkwin
Lord Shinkwin: To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of overall pregnancy terminations have been carried out in accordance with paragraph (d) of section 1(1) of the Abortion Act 1967 in each of the past five years.
Lord Shinkwin: ...noble Baronesses, Lady Fox and Lady Hoey. I thank them for tabling it, and I do so for a particular reason. Some would have us believe, as we have heard in this debate, that this is simply about abortion. Noble Lords should be clear: it is not. There is so much more at stake that should concern us all. This amendment gives your Lordships’ House the opportunity to chart a more measured...
Lord Shinkwin: ...of the amendment in the name of my noble friend Lord Farmer and those listed on the Marshalled List. I should reiterate at the outset, lest anyone be in any doubt, that I do not take a position on abortion per se. However, as a disabled person I take a position on equality and, I am afraid to say, absolutely object to human beings diagnosed with my condition—brittle bones—being denied...
Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many, and (2) what proportion of, submissions to the consultation A new legal framework for abortion services in Northern Ireland, which closed on 19 December 2019, came from (a) individuals who identified themselves as a person with a disability, (b) disability charities, (c) organisations led and managed by disabled people, and (d) parents of...
Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many meetings (1) the Northern Ireland Office, or (2) any other Government body, had with representatives of (a) abortion providers, (b) disability charities and organisations, (c) organisations led and managed by disabled people, and (d) parents of disabled people, on the Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020.
Lord Shinkwin: ...21. But just in case he is not, let me remind him of what it says, and incidentally what the Government are deliberately choosing to go against. As the noble Baroness has explained, it states that abortion services should be expanded “without perpetuating stereotypes towards persons with disabilities”. No doubt my noble friend will be able to quote back to me Article 62 of Section VI...
Lord Shinkwin: ...House what effort the Government have made to establish how people with Down’s syndrome and their families in Northern Ireland feel about the prospect of human beings with Down’s syndrome being aborted and denied their equal right to exist? I would be very happy to give way if my noble friend would care to answer.
Lord Shinkwin: ...Parliament and see one of your final acts being to introduce a change in the law that would be discriminating against our community and likely lead to many more babies with Down’s syndrome being aborted in a time of equality”. How do they know the likely death toll for Down’s syndrome diagnosis? They know because in England and Wales, 90% of human beings diagnosed before birth with...
Lord Shinkwin: ..., a clear majority of whom, polling shows, as we have already heard, do not want law changes imposed on them by us here in London. I also support it for another reason. I do not take a position on abortion per se; I do, however, take a position on disability equality. What is proposed in the Bill drives a coach and horses through disability equality. I wonder whether my noble friend the...
Lord Shinkwin: ...to the current Clause 4, which I appreciate was not part of the original Bill, is twofold. First, I object on the grounds of inequality. As noble Lords will know, I do not take a position on abortion itself, but I most definitely do take a position on disability equality. Though supposedly about advancing human rights, Clause 4 is actually about a hierarchy of human rights. It is, in...
Lord Shinkwin: ...slowly. I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady O’Loan, on introducing her Bill, which I support—and I do so not only as someone whose severe disability would have made me a prime candidate for abortion but also from the patient’s perspective, which, as the noble Baroness, Lady Young of Old Scone, said, is so important. Today is quite a big day for me, as 22 years ago to this very...
Lord Shinkwin: ...in maternal blood as early as seven weeks’ gestation, which means that genetic or chromosomal abnormalities are being detected well in advance of 24 weeks. So what justification is there for abortion after 24 weeks on the grounds of so-called serious foetal anomaly? Some noble Lords have seen that I recently asked the Department of Health about the number of fatal foetal abnormalities...
Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many terminations have been performed under Ground E of the Abortion Act 1967 since it entered into force (1) in total, and (2) by year.
Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many terminations post-24 weeks’ gestation have been performed under Ground E of the Abortion Act 1967 since the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 entered into force (1) in total, and (2) by year.
Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government by which method the gestation of a foetus is determined before being recorded on the HSA4 abortion notification form.
Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they ensure continuity of practice amongst doctors with respect to the method by which the gestation of a foetus is determined before being recorded on the HSA4 abortion notification form.
Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proof of a foetus’ gestation is provided alongside the submission of the HSA4 abortion notification form.