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Sevenoaks MP Laura Trott speaks out about the abortion law change in Parliament

11:47, 31 March 2022

updated: 11:48, 31 March 2022

Pregnant women will be able to access abortion services at home after MPs reversed a government proposal to remove the provision.

Laura Trott, MP for Sevenoaks spoke about the horrible side affects of the pill and why having a medical abortion at home is a necessity for women during a parliament debate in the Commons on Wednesday.

MP Laura Trott for Sevenoaks
MP Laura Trott for Sevenoaks

All women in England will now have continued access to early abortion care at home after MPs supported the law change.

The government changed the regulations during the first coronavirus lockdown in March 2020 in order to allow women to have medical abortions at home following a phone or video consultation.

But health secretary Sajid Javid later announced the temporary measure would end with the return to pre-Covid arrangements in August.

After peers voted to amend the Health and Care Bill to retain the at-home service, the government then put forward its own amendment to allow the Commons a vote on the matter.

Ms Trott supported keeping the service available, saying that it was “a matter for human dignity, for women’s dignity”.

MPs debate abortion services as part of the Health and Care Bill. Picture: PA
MPs debate abortion services as part of the Health and Care Bill. Picture: PA

She told MPs about a “close family member who had an abortion”, explaining: “There is a reason that the first pill is known as abortion on the bus. You go to get the pill, and effects can happen very, very quickly.

“She was driving home, she had to pull over at Sainsbury’s where she vomited in a toilet, she had severe diarrhoea, she was bleeding very, very heavily.

"This was forced on her because of an artificial constraint that we put on how women can access abortion. It’s not right.”

Since the change in the rules, 150,000 women have had abortions at home before they are 10 weeks pregnant, and face-to-face services will still remain an option.

Conservative former Prime Minister Theresa May, Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis, justice minister Victoria Atkins and transport secretary Grant Shapps were among those to support the proposal, while Mr Javid, cabinet office minister Jacob Rees-Mogg and Treasury minister Simon Clarke voted against.

Clare Murphy, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), said in a statement: “We are absolutely delighted that MPs followed the evidence and above all listened to women when they voted for the continuation of this service.

“Early abortion at home is safe, effective and an important option for women.

“We look forward to being able to provide this service into the future and are incredibly grateful to all the parliamentarians who championed it.”

MPs supported retaining the service by 215 votes to 188, majority 27 following a free vote on Wednesday.

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