Labour MPs call for abortion to be decriminalised in Scotland after vote at Westminster
Labour MPs have called for the decriminalisation of abortion in Scotland after MPs voted on the issue south of the border.
Lillian Jones and Joani Reid have urged the Scottish Government to make sure no woman is prosecuted for terminating a pregnancy.
MPs considered an amendment to the Crime and Policing bill in the House of Commons on Tuesday, although it only applied to England and Wales.
Kilmarnock and Loudon MP Jones said: "I fully support Tonia Antoniazzi's amendment, this is about women's choice and self determination.
"No woman should face prosecution for making deeply personal decisions about her own body. This is about protecting women from outdated laws that criminalise them instead of offering care and compassion.
"Every woman deserves the right to choose without fear of a police investigation or a courtroom.
"I hope the Scottish Parliament will follow suit and bring forward similar reforms so that women in Scotland are equally protected under the law."
The Scottish Government has set up an expert group to review the law on abortion and advise on whether it should be changed. The group will report next year.
Abortion is permitted up to the 24th week of a pregnancy in the UK, but there are concerns that women in Scotland can only have a termination here after 20 weeks in cases where there is either a foetal abnormality or the woman's life is at risk.
East Kilbride and Strathaven MP Reid said: 'Unlike in England there is no law criminalising abortion in Scotland. It's an offence created by the courts alone north of the border, but it's one that the Scottish parliament can legislate to abolish.
'Of course I know why many people are concerned that ending the prospect of women being criminalised for having an abortion risks inadvertently encouraging a handful of individuals to mistakenly believe they can flout the law concerning late-term terminations.
'There is a balance of risks, and I think that the greater injustice is the thought of our police, our prosecution services, and our courts relentlessly pursuing women who have had an abortion and women who, through error, misunderstanding, or sheer desperation, find themselves accused of a crime they scarcely knew existed.
'It's not a party matter and I hope MSPs of all parties will come together to end the criminalisation of these vulnerable women.'
Welsh Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi's amendment would 'remove the threat of investigation, arrest, prosecution, or imprisonment' of any woman who acts in relation to her own pregnancy in England and Wales
She said the cases of women investigated by police had motivated her to advocate for a change in the law.
Her amendment will not change time limits for abortion or the regulation of services but it 'decriminalises women accused of ending their own pregnancies'.
It would take them out of the criminal justice system 'so they can get the help and support they need'.
Her amendment is supported by abortion providers including MSI Reproductive Choices and the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (Bpas) as well as the the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG).
MPs had a free vote on the issue as it was seen as a matter of conscience. This meant they could take their own view rather than what the party wants.
Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: 'The Scottish Government believes that all women should have access to abortion services should they require them.
'An Expert Group was established in August 2024 and will provide recommendations based on a thorough assessment of the current legal framework on abortion.
'This review covers all aspects of the current law relating to abortion, rather than just criminal offences, to ensure that any future proposals consider major shifts in clinical practice since 1967.
'It will therefore be important to ensure careful consideration of the Group's recommendations. We will need to wait for the outcomes of this review before considering changes to abortion law.'
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