In October the UK government launched a consultation* on abortion legislation due to be imposed upon Northern Ireland in early 2020.
The consultation asks for views on the whole framework including questions that propose a 12- or 14-week termination limit. Other areas covered are the questions of whether exclusion zones should be put in place around clinics, and how to deal with the issue of conscientious objection. Question 15 leaves space for any further comments to be made about the proposed new legal framework, providing respondents the opportunity to explain why abortion should not be allowed.
The consultation closes on 16 December at 11:45pm and responses can either be filled in online or printed and sent in (Annex D has the questions in printable format). The consultation is not restricted to residents of Northern Ireland.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Julian Smith, said new laws on abortion will be in place by the end of March next year. In the intervening period, guidance from the Government allows children with disabilities to be aborted. In practice, women in Northern Ireland seeking an abortion are still likely to have to travel to England until a new framework is in place.
Church wedding?
Marriage laws are also set to change, with the first same-sex marriages expected to take place in February 2020. Westminster politicians voted in July to impose the new regime if a Northern Ireland Executive was not in place by the October deadline. Despite some politicians reconvening at Stormont to oppose the measure, there was insufficient cross-party consensus to block the move.
However, the largest Christian denominations in Northern Ireland have said they will not conduct same-sex weddings in their churches. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the Church of Ireland, and the Methodist Church of Ireland have all confirmed that they will uphold the biblical definition of marriage.
The DUP is reportedly set to seek legal protections for churches opposing the redefinition of marriage.
*https://consultations.nidirect.gov.uk/nio-implementation-team/a-new-legal-framework-for-abortion-services-in-ni/
