Overview

This bill seeks to amend the Abortion Act 1967 in England, Wales, and Scotland. It aims to remove cleft lip, cleft palate, and clubfoot from the list of qualifying physical abnormalities that currently allow for medical termination of a pregnancy.

Description

The bill proposes a specific amendment to the Abortion Act 1967. It adds a new subsection (1A) to Section 1(1) explicitly stating that cleft lip, cleft palate (including cases with both), and clubfoot are not to be considered qualifying physical abnormalities for the purposes of abortion. This means that abortions based solely on the presence of these conditions would no longer be permitted under the Act.

The bill will come into effect two months after it receives Royal Assent.

Government Spending

The bill is not expected to have a significant direct impact on government spending. The primary effect would be a potential change in the number of abortions performed, but the financial implications of this are difficult to predict and quantify. Any increase in the cost of postnatal care for children born with these conditions would need to be separately assessed.

Groups Affected

Groups potentially affected include:

• Pregnant individuals diagnosed with a foetus having cleft lip, cleft palate, or clubfoot: They will no longer be able to obtain an abortion based solely on these conditions.
• Healthcare professionals: They will need to adjust their practice to reflect the amendment to the law.
• Families of children born with these conditions: The bill may indirectly affect them by increasing the number of children born with these conditions.
• Abortion providers: They may experience changes in demand for their services.

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