Scottish Catholic Observer

Lib Dem John Pugh, who chaired the all-party pro-life group that opposes abortion, Tory MP Fiona Bruce, and Labour MP Robert Flello are to put down an amendment in the hope Scotland will ‘lead the way’ on restricting abortion.

Abortion was deliberately kept out of the original devolution settlement in 1999, and then dropped from the Smith Commission proposals at the last minute during negotiations late last year. It means that the 1967 Act, brought in as a private member’s bill by former Liberal leader Sir David Steel, remains the law for the whole of the UK.

Mr Pugh said that while he and the other two MPs ‘come from a pro-life perspective’ they wished to change the way abortion is debated in the UK

“The tone of the Scottish Parliament’s debate on assisted suicide was excellent and it showed that it can discuss these issues in a more balanced and calmer way than Westminster,” he said. “I hope if we can devolve abortion the Scottish Parliament can lead the way in both the tone of the debate and in changing the law.”

The power was originally going to be in the Smith Commission recommendations for further devolution, before it was demoted to being the subject of further discussions between the UK and Scottish Government.

The amendment is expected to be tabled this week, with a debate and vote the following week on the final day of the committee stage of the Scotland Bill. It is not yet clear if parties will allow a free vote on this issue.

Peter Kearney, director of the Scottish Catholic Media Office, has said ‘the Church in Scotland is primarily concerned with the composition of the legislation rather than the venue for it.’

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