The Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion (Amendment) Bill

Call for Evidence

The Committee for Health would like to hear your views on The Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion (Amendment) Bill.

The closing date for written submissions is 07 May 2021.

Overview

The Bill was introduced by Paul Givan MLA on 16 February 2021. The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 to remove the grounds for an abortion in cases of severe fetal impairment.  

Further information on the Bill can be found below:

• Read the Bill and view its latest progress.
• A copy of the Bill papers.
• The report of the Second Stage Assembly debate on the principles of the Bill that took place on 15 March 2021. 
• The report of the Bill sponsor’s briefing session on the principles of the Bill with the Health Committee on 11 March 2021.

How to submit your views

Your submission should be structured to address the specific clauses of the Bill. If appropriate, it should include any amendments you wish to propose to the text of the Bill.

Written submissions should be sent electronically in Word format (not PDF) to: Committee.health_sfiabill@niassembly.gov.uk.  

If you cannot submit electronically you may send in a hard copy written submission to:

The Health Committee Clerk,
Room 419,
Parliament Buildings,
Ballymiscaw,
Stormont,
Belfast,
BT4 3XX.

Organisations or individuals responding to this call for views should note that their written submission (either in whole or part) may be published on the Committee webpage and may be quoted in the Committee’s report or referred to in Committee meetings (which are public and are broadcast).

The Committee recognises that in some circumstances people may prefer for their evidence to be treated as confidential, or published anonymously. If you wish to do this please make this clear when submitting your evidence.

Before sending us your views please read the Northern Ireland Assembly Privacy Notice. This tells you how we process your personal data.

If you have any queries or require any further information about the call for evidence or the Committee Stage of the Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion (Amendment) Bill, please contact the Health Committee Clerk by email at Committee.health_sfiabill@niassembly.gov.uk or by phone at 028 9052 1787.