Question 1: Do you support the right to choose abortion?

 

→ Not many people know this, but there is no ‘right’ to abortion in Scotland. Abortion is still criminalised, and its provision is conditional on several conditions. An abortion has to be approved by two medical doctors to be legal, for instance. Any abortions which do not meet the legal criteria are potentially illegal, and people who have them can be liable to prosecution. The current abortion law in Scotland dates back to the 1960s and is not fit for purpose: medical technology has changed, and so has the culture. All relevant professional health bodies support decriminalisation and the right to abortion. Moreover, the general population believes in the right to choose abortion (latest polls show that between 83% and 97% of the Scottish population think that “women should have the right to an abortion[a]”). Times have changed, and it’s time the law did! 

 

Question 2: Do you support fully-funded abortion provision by NHS Scotland - free, safe, local?

 

→ In Scotland, abortions are provided by the NHS. Abortion Rights Scotland believes that this is important for many reasons: to make sure that abortion is treated like any other healthcare and not stigmatised, to make sure that more medically complex abortions take place in medical settings, and to ensure that abortion remains a part of the public healthcare provision and is not outsourced. Moreover, some abortions are not currently provided in Scotland, and pregnant people sometimes have to travel great distances to England to receive abortion care. Abortion Rights Scotland believes that all abortions for Scottish residents should be provided in Scotland, and as close as possible to where people live. This means that the Scottish government needs to commit to providing funding and training to medical professionals to be able to deliver abortions in local health boards and not outsource the provision of abortion to England. 

 

Question 3: Do you support the campaign ‘Let’s change the Act’ to decriminalise abortion in Scotland, and ensure abortion is treated like all other healthcare? 

 

→ Abortion Rights Scotland is a member and supporter of the LCA campaign. For more background information on the campaign and to sign up as a campaign supporter, see letschangetheact.co.uk