ONLY DAYS after the 20th anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act, David Alton's anti-abortion bill will come forward for its final reading in the House of Commons on Friday 6 May.
1967 all others have been defeated. Alton's Bill Campaign, whose affiliates include 22 national trade unions and the Labour Party, is calling for a final mobilisation to show the strength of opposition and ensure that this is reflected in the defeat of this bill, whatever its final form, on 6 May.
The bill now COR2 forward represents the most serious threat to the 196 Act so far. The anti-abortionists have learned rom nels experence other bills, and Alton has tocused the 110S L emotive and confused issue of time limits.
It Has been rushed process at breakneck speed - from initial presentation to final reading in less than seven months. It has had un Drececented coverage and sympathy. Attacks There is also no doubt that any success for this bill would bolster the anti-abortionists to come back again with further attacks, as they made clear committee.
As approach the final debate it is well known Alton's is the 15th attempt to restrict the Act since The Fight would be in une with developments in medical and with current medical opinion. Many claim that the number of women having abortions at this stage is in any case insignlicaul. Safety In reality due to the margin ot error of at least two weeks a flat ban on weeks would criminalise roughly 2.000 women every year on current figures. Inserting a flat time limit for the first time into the 67 Act would tend to increase this margin of error — eaucatea gues sing of what week of pregnancy a woman is in rather than viability would determine the legality of abortions.
The burden would lie with the doctor pertorming the abortion to prove that a woman was not more than a certain WCCKS We could look forward to a string of anti-abortion court cases. comprehensive medical this in mind, Cyril Smith, amendments - 27 and 26 Labour MPs Malet Street London.