Early day motion tabled by primary sponsor David Atkinson (Conservative), on Monday, 17 January 2000, in the House of Commons. It is signed by 14 members in total.

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MORNING-AFTER PILL

That this House notes that the morning-after pill works by preventing the embryo from successfully implanting in the lining of the womb, and therefore is not a contraceptive; further notes that medical and scientific opinion is that life begins at fertilisation, and that the morning-after pill is therefore an abortifacient; notes with concern the health-risks associated with the morning-after pill, which include nausea, vomiting, thrombosis and ectopic pregnancy and that, if a woman in the early weeks of pregnancy takes a morning-after pill, her baby's brain could be malformed and/or the child could develop abnormalities such as heart-defects; further notes the provisions of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, as cited by Dr John Keown of Queen's College, Cambridge, in a letter to the Daily Telgraph of 30th November 1999 and elsewhere, protect nascent life before implantation; further notes that the World Medical Association's 1948 Declaration of Geneva states 'I will have the utmost respect for human life, from the time of conception; even under threat, I will not use my medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity'; further notes that, whether or not the morning-after pill interrupts pregnancy as defined by the law, it does interrupt pregnancy as defined by medical science, and that those who are not registered medical practioners should consequently not be expected to take responsibility for providing such treatment; and calls upon the Secretary of State for Health to restrict the availability of the morning-after pill as a matter of urgency and not to widen access thereto.

Amendments

The Early day motion has received an amendment.

MORNING-AFTER PILL (274A1)

The Early day motion has received an amendment sponsored by Baroness Tonge (primary, Liberal Democrat) and tabled on Tuesday, 18 January 2000. It has been signed by 45 members in total.

leave out from 'notes' to end and add 'that emergency contraception is not a method of abortion and is a safe and effective method of preventing unwanted pregnancy; further notes that experts on contraception have argued that it can be provided safely and appropriately by pharmacists without a prescription; believes that pharmacists are highly trained and already manage the safe supply to the public of many medical products; recognises the success of the current trial involving 16 pharmacists in the Manchester, Salford and Trafford Health Authority in providing emergency contraception and that 50 more pharmacists have asked to be involved in the scheme; and calls on the Government to expand this programme to a national level.'.

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Secondary information

Type

Early day motion

Reference

274 

274A1 

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Abortion Contraceptives Health hazards Ethics

Link

View this Early day motion on www.parliament.uk