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| Abortion counselling consultation called off | Abortion counselling consultation called off |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A health minister says the government no longer plans to undertake its own consultation on abortion counselling. | |
| Anna Soubry told MPs the government "did not intend to change either the law or the guidelines". | Anna Soubry told MPs the government "did not intend to change either the law or the guidelines". |
| She said ministers would look at recommendations from an inquiry being held by a cross-party group of MPs. | She said ministers would look at recommendations from an inquiry being held by a cross-party group of MPs. |
| That group was set up after MPs voted last September against proposals that would have stopped abortion providers offering counselling to pregnant women. | That group was set up after MPs voted last September against proposals that would have stopped abortion providers offering counselling to pregnant women. |
| The proposals, supported by three cabinet ministers, were brought forward by Conservative MP Nadine Dorries. | The proposals, supported by three cabinet ministers, were brought forward by Conservative MP Nadine Dorries. |
| The government said at the time that it would look at ways of incorporating the "spirit" of the proposals in new regulations - and said a consultation was due to be launched. | The government said at the time that it would look at ways of incorporating the "spirit" of the proposals in new regulations - and said a consultation was due to be launched. |
| Ms Soubry said: "I am aware that there is a cross-party inquiry into unwanted pregnancy and I think there is some important work that they will do and evidence which they will hear. | |
| "But the simple reality is as follows - we no longer plan to undertake a separate consultation and I am sorry if that disappoints those members of the committee. | |
| 'Reneging on promise' | |
| "I am grateful for the work that they did and I want to thank them for all their efforts. I am sorry if as I say there is some disappointment but the reality is that we now don't intend to change the law so it is now an otiose exercise." | |
| Ms Dorries, who called the debate in which the minister made her announcement, accused the government of reneging on its promise to look at the issue. | |
| "It is not a case of changing the law, it is a case of changing the government's commitment. There was an absolute commitment by the government that a consultation would be taken," she said. | |
| However, Ms Soubry said: "There is other work we should be doing on counselling. I take the view that this is not the primary function we should be addressing and that is why I have taken the decision that I have." | |
| Shadow public health minister Diane Abbott welcomed the cancellation of the consultation as a "victory for women, families and pro-choice campaigners across the country". | |
| She said the government had "finally conceded defeat" on efforts to prevent abortion providers offering counselling to pregnant women. | |
| "The message that people have forced this government to listen to is that British women's right to choose is here to stay," she said. | |
| "I think it's been a particularly tough period for those people who provide care and support for women seeking an abortion, who have repeatedly faced the most appalling attacks, smears and misinformation about their work in the media, and in Parliament." |