Thank you for contacting me about abortion amendments in the Criminal Justice Bill.
The Criminal Justice Bill was introduced in the previous session of Parliament. Due to the General Election, it will make no further progress, as Bills are not carried over from one Parliament to another. The amendments you have contacted me about will therefore not be debated or become law.
I appreciate that abortion is a divisive issue, with strongly held views both sides of the debate which remains a matter of conscience for individual MPs. I would like to assure you that I am sending the same response to everyone.
My view is that abortion is an essential part of healthcare which is highly regulated and should not be subjected to more restrictive time limits or custodial sanctions. I personally believe there is a clear consensus on the need to take action to stop women being jailed for getting an abortion when they are doubtless at their most vulnerable – a position also supported by a range of health professionals.
More widely, I believe it is essential that women and girls have access to safe, high-quality healthcare that supports their wellbeing. This particularly applies to women’s sexual and reproductive healthcare, which is fragmented and understaffed, meaning that women do not always get the high-quality care they deserve.
Thank you once again for contacting me about this issue.
Yours sincerely,
Barry Gardiner
MP for Brent West