MPs vote to continue abortion 'pills by post' scheme in England

Source: The Guardian

MPs vote to continue abortion ‘pills by post’ scheme in England

Government will be forced to abandon its plan to end a two-year trial of the scheme in August

Denis Campbell Health policy editor
Wed 30 Mar 2022 19.41 BST

Women in England will be able to access a “pills by post” abortion service indefinitely after MPs voted today to compel ministers to make it permanent instead of scrapping the scheme in September.

The decision will benefit tens of thousands of women every year who want to take the two tablets needed to end a pregnancy in the privacy of their own home rather than having to take the first at a clinic or hospital. They have to be taken within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.

MPs took advantage of a free vote in the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to vote by 215 to 188 to force the government to abandon its plan to end the two-year trial of the scheme, which was brought in temporarily when Covid struck in spring 2020, on 29 August.

Seventy-two Conservative MPs voted with Labour members and others to ensure that at-home early medical abortion will be maintained. Maria Miller, the former culture secretary, and Matt Warman were among Tory MPs to speak in favour. Labour MPs who did so included Diana Johnson and Jess Phillips, the shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/30/mps-vote-to-continue-abortion-pills-by-post-scheme-in-england