Written question asked by Lord Deben (Conservative) on Tuesday, 14 November 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 24 November 2000. It was answered by Yvette Cooper (Labour) on Friday, 24 November 2000 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent advice he has taken and from whom on the point at which pregnancy can be said to begin.

Answer: Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent advice he has taken and from whom on the point at which pregnancy can be said to begin. [138891] Yvette Cooper: The accepted legal and medical view is that a pregnancy begins at implantation. This has been the policy of successive Governments and is based on advice given to the Department by the Attorney-General in 1983, about the legal position under the Abortion Act 1967.

Secondary information