Dear Constituent,
Thank you for contacting me about abortion in Scotland. As you may be aware, abortion was devolved to the Scottish Parliament via the Scotland Act 2016.
I completely understand what an incredibly emotive issue this is, and I appreciate the strength of feelings on both sides. It is for this reason that, as with other matters of conscience, Members of Parliament, as well as Members of the Scottish Parliament, are able to vote freely according to their moral, ethical, or religious beliefs. This is a convention which I support wholeheartedly.
The approach to abortion in Great Britain is set out in the Abortion Act 1967, which states that two doctors must certify that, in their opinion, a request for an abortion meets at least one and the same ground laid out in the Act. These grounds include “risk to the life of the pregnant woman”, and “substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped”.
Guidelines have been issued which enable women to take both Mifepristone and Misoprostol at home for the duration of the outbreak, so that they do not have to visit a medical practice and risk exposure to the virus, and to enable doctors to prescribe medicines from home. I have been assured this alteration will last only as long as the Covid-19 outbreak to protect women seeking care. The medicines must still be instigated prior to nine weeks and six days into the pregnancy. There remains a legal requirement for two registered medical practitioners to sign off an abortion.
I of course believe that women should be given all the information required before making a decision on abortion and the necessary support should be made available.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Kind regards, Alister