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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Late abortion tribunal challenge | Late abortion tribunal challenge |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Pro-life campaigners are continuing their fight for the publication of details of late medical abortions. | Pro-life campaigners are continuing their fight for the publication of details of late medical abortions. |
| An information tribunal is set to hear a Department of Health appeal that such information should not be published. | An information tribunal is set to hear a Department of Health appeal that such information should not be published. |
| It is legal to terminate a pregnancy up to birth if there is a serious risk of a physical or mental abnormality. | It is legal to terminate a pregnancy up to birth if there is a serious risk of a physical or mental abnormality. |
| But ministers decided details of the conditions involved should not be published after a 2003 probe into an abortion of a baby with a cleft palate. | But ministers decided details of the conditions involved should not be published after a 2003 probe into an abortion of a baby with a cleft palate. |
| A Church of England curate, Joanna Jepson, had challenged the legality of the abortion. | A Church of England curate, Joanna Jepson, had challenged the legality of the abortion. |
| However, in 2005, the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to bring charges against the consultant involved. | However, in 2005, the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to bring charges against the consultant involved. |
| "Unspecified category" | "Unspecified category" |
| The ProLife Alliance has argued for five years that information on the conditions involved should be published. | The ProLife Alliance has argued for five years that information on the conditions involved should be published. |
| Last July, the Information Commissioner ruled in favour of the group. | Last July, the Information Commissioner ruled in favour of the group. |
| But the Department of Health appealed, and so the case was referred to the Information Tribunal. | But the Department of Health appealed, and so the case was referred to the Information Tribunal. |
| Confidentiality should remain the paramount concern Marie Stopes International spokeswoman | Confidentiality should remain the paramount concern Marie Stopes International spokeswoman |
| The ProLife Alliance said in a statement: "It is now impossible to identify precisely how many abortions have been performed under a number of categories of disability, including cleft palate. | The ProLife Alliance said in a statement: "It is now impossible to identify precisely how many abortions have been performed under a number of categories of disability, including cleft palate. |
| "An unspecified category recorded as 'other' is sometimes the only detail available." | "An unspecified category recorded as 'other' is sometimes the only detail available." |
| The Department of Health now does not publish abortion statistics where less than 10 cases related to a particular condition are involved. | The Department of Health now does not publish abortion statistics where less than 10 cases related to a particular condition are involved. |
| A spokesman for the department said: "Data on abortions is considered highly sensitive personal data." | A spokesman for the department said: "Data on abortions is considered highly sensitive personal data." |
| He said Office for National Statistics guidance provided "clear boundaries to make as much information about abortions available as possible, whilst protecting the individuals concerned - both patients and doctors". | He said Office for National Statistics guidance provided "clear boundaries to make as much information about abortions available as possible, whilst protecting the individuals concerned - both patients and doctors". |
| Identification concern | Identification concern |
| A spokeswoman for the pro-abortion charity Marie Stopes International said it "unequivocally supported" the department's position. | A spokeswoman for the pro-abortion charity Marie Stopes International said it "unequivocally supported" the department's position. |
| She said releasing such details could make it easier to identify women and girls who had late abortions. | She said releasing such details could make it easier to identify women and girls who had late abortions. |
| "It could potentially make some of the most vulnerable individuals - such as girls of 11 or 12 years of age, or women who have undergone a late gestation abortion on the grounds of foetal disability - liable to being publicly identified, which could have a hugely detrimental impact on their mental health." | "It could potentially make some of the most vulnerable individuals - such as girls of 11 or 12 years of age, or women who have undergone a late gestation abortion on the grounds of foetal disability - liable to being publicly identified, which could have a hugely detrimental impact on their mental health." |
| Laura Riley of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service said: "All the statistics about abortion are already fully publicly available. | |
| "It's just that in the published datasets, the Department of Health groups tiny numbers of abortions together by year because of concerns about maintaining women's privacy." | |
| Witnesses appearing for the ProLife Alliance include MP Ann Widdecombe, while Professor Vivienne Nathanson of the British Medical Association is appearing for the Department of Health. | Witnesses appearing for the ProLife Alliance include MP Ann Widdecombe, while Professor Vivienne Nathanson of the British Medical Association is appearing for the Department of Health. |
| The hearing is set to last four days, and a ruling will be made in four to six weeks time. | The hearing is set to last four days, and a ruling will be made in four to six weeks time. |
| Abortion for social reasons remains legal up to the 24th week of pregnancy. Around 1% of abortions take place after the 20th week. | Abortion for social reasons remains legal up to the 24th week of pregnancy. Around 1% of abortions take place after the 20th week. |