UK Parliament / Open data

Health and Care Bill

Proceeding contribution from Baroness Stroud (Conservative) in the House of Lords on Wednesday, 16 March 2022. It occurred during Debate on bills on Health and Care Bill.

I understand the noble Baroness’s sentiment. Had there been a Second Reading or Committee opportunity—that is, had this amendment not been introduced on Report—there would have been no need to make these arguments at this stage.

Tragically, we know that such coercion has been happening. A further Savanta ComRes poll commissioned by the BBC and reported on Monday showed that 5% of women aged between 18 and 24 had been given something to cause an abortion without their consent. Noble Lords have already quoted some of the data from these polls.

This amendment sounds so nice—pills by post in the comfort of your own home—but, in reality, it leaves women medically exposed and vulnerable to both health complications and coercion. I totally understand the motivation of the noble Baroness, Lady Sugg, in bringing it forward, but I urge noble Lords not to vote for an amendment that would remove protections, expose women to health complications and increase the risk of coercion.

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
820 c422 
Session
2021-22
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
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