Written question asked by Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party) on Monday, 28 June 2021, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 30 June 2021. It was answered by Helen Whately (Conservative) on Tuesday, 6 July 2021 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Abortion

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to review the accuracy and objectivity of the Abortion and Abortion Care Factsheet produced by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare in 2019; and what comparative assessment his Department has made of the information in that leaflet that current evidence suggests that the fetus is unable to feel pain under 24 weeks and the Government confirmation in February 2019 that pain relief for unborn babies would be delivered intra-operatively for those undergoing spinal surgery for spina bifida between 20 and 26 weeks of gestation.

Answer: The Abortion and Abortion Care Fact Sheet for schools was produced and published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, therefore no assessment has been made.

Secondary information