Termination of Pregnancy Bill [Failed Bill 2006/07 session]

Introduced by Nadine Dorries (Con, Mid Bedfordshire), the Bill aims to reduce the time limit for legal terminations of pregnancy from 24 to 20 weeks; to introduce a cooling-off period after the first point of contact with a medical practitioner about a termination; to require the provision of counselling about the medical risk of, and about matters relating to, termination and bringing the pregnancy to term as a condition of informed consent to termination; and for connected purposes.

The Bill proposes amendments to sections 1 and 2 of the Abortion Act 1967. The bill does not extend to Northern Ireland.

Dorries introduced a similar ten-minute rule bill in the Commons on October 31 2006; however it was rejected by 187 votes to 108.

Dorries has also submitted several questions to the house regarding the termination of pregnancy within the last year, primarily focusing on the issue of late abortions.

House of Commons

First reading: December 18 2006 [HC Bill 41]

Bill dropped