Abortion in NI: Westminster to intervene on services after election

Secretary of State Brandon Lewis has said he will intervene further on abortion services for Northern Ireland after the assembly election in May.

Northern Ireland's abortion laws changed in 2020 after Westminster acted during the absence of devolution.

But the commissioning of services had been stalled due to political disagreement.

Mr Lewis said the collapse of the executive had created a "further obstacle" to progress the legislation.

Last July, the secretary of state directed Stormont ministers and departments to act by March 2022.

He took powers that issued a formal direction to Stormont's Department of Health to draw up proposals and take them to the executive for approval.

In February, the DUP withdrew Paul Givan as first minister which prompted the collapse of the executive.

On Thursday, Mr Lewis said it was "increasingly clear" the Department of Health was going to miss the deadline he had set.

He also said the collapse of the executive left him with "no choice" but to take forward the issue himself.

In a written statement, he said: "Two years after the Abortion (Northern Ireland) 2020 Regulations established the framework for abortion services, women and girls are still unable to access high-quality abortion and post-abortion care in Northern Ireland.

"This is unacceptable. Without access to services in Northern Ireland, women and girls are being placed at an increased risk of harm."

He added he was committed to making regulations and directions, "directly following" the election to place a duty on the Department of Health to make abortion services available "as soon as is reasonably practicable".

He said he would also take action that would "remove the need" for executive approval for legislation on abortion before services can be commissioned and funded.

"This means that the Department of Health will have no further barriers to commission and fund services," he added.

The secretary of state is also immediately setting up a small team in the Northern Ireland Office "with relevant experience in reproductive healthcare and financial monitoring" to provide expert advice and to work alongside the Department of Health.

He warned: "If I assess the Department of Health is not complying with the duty I place on it, I am prepared to use my powers to intervene."

The delay around commissioning of abortion services has been the subject of several legal challenges in recent months.