NI Secretary has authority to commission abortion services in NI, court rules

Secretary of State, Brandon Lewis MP has the powers to direct abortion services across Northern Ireland, a Belfast court has ruled.

The UK Government had been challenged by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) which says only elected representatives in the region should be able to make such decisions.

Abortion was forced on NI via a cynical change to the 2019 Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019, after a United Nations body claimed the UK had breached the rights of women in Northern Ireland by limiting access to abortions.

SPUC had challenged whether this move is legal. The group argued that Stormont is not duty bound to enact any changes imposed, due to the constitutional arrangements enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement. However, their legal challenge was turned down by the High Court.

Liam Gibson, NI Political Officer for SPUC said: “This ruling could have very serious consequences for family life and the future of representative democracy in Northern Ireland.”

A spokesman for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland said it has consistently warned of the “fundamental danger of Westminster politicians unilaterally overriding the devolved institutions on a range of issues”.

He added: “As a Church with a strong pro-life record, we have repeatedly put on record our total opposition to the imposition of the most liberal abortion laws in these islands.”

He continues: “The abortion regime that the UK Government seeks to introduce to Northern Ireland does not respect the deeply held views that individuals hold on this issue, nor is it sensitive to Northern Ireland’s circumstances.

“As a Church we recognise the great pain involved in the extremely difficult circumstances faced by women and their families experiencing a crisis pregnancy. Rather than seeking to take life, we should be focused on providing practical, emotional and spiritual support. This includes the provision of state-of-the-art pre-natal and peri-natal care, neonatal intensive care pathways and dedicated palliative care medical and midwifery professionals for those women and families who require such support.”