Abortion in the United Kingdom

Abortion has been legal on a wide number of grounds in England and Wales and Scotland since the Abortion Act 1967, then one of the most liberal abortion laws in Europe. However, the situation in Northern Ireland is different.

In England and Wales and Scotland, section 1(1) of the Abortion Act 1967 now reads:

Subject to the provisions of this section, a person shall not be guilty of an offence under the law relating to abortion when a pregnancy is terminated by a registered medical practitioner if two registered medical practitioners are of the opinion, formed in good faith -

Subsections (a) to (d) were substituted for the former subsections (a) and (b) by section 37(1) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990.

"The law relating to abortion"

In England and Wales, this means sections 58 and 59 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 and any rule of law relating to the procurement of abortion.

In Scotland, this means any rule of law relating to the procurement of abortion.

"Terminated by a registered medical practitioner"

See Royal College of Nursing of the UK v DHSS [1981] AC 800, [1981] 2 WLR 279, [1981] 1 All ER 545, [1981] Crim LR 322, HL.

Place where termination must be carried out

See sections 1(3) to (4).

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