UK: abortionists may continue to offer pre-abortion counseling

September 08, 2011

By a 368-118 vote, the British Parliament has voted to continue to allow abortionists to offer pre-abortion counseling. Opponents of the status quo had proposed a mandate for neutral counseling, noting that abortionists have a vested financial interest in convincing women to have abortions.

Nadine Dorries, who had sponsored the proposal to offer independent counseling, said that although the measure was defeated, the public debate was a victory for the pro-life cause, insofar as it put the question on the public agenda. Other pro-lifers disagreed; the country's leading pro-life organizations had not endorsed the effort.

“Abortion is always a tragedy, and our society badly needs to foster a new understanding and approach to relationships, responsibility and mutual support if lasting change is to take place,” Archbishop Peter Smith of Southwark said before the vote. “It is not clear from the evidence what impact pre-abortion counseling in fact has, but it should be independent of abortion providers, properly resourced and allow alternatives to abortion to be fully explored.”

 

---

For all current news, visit our News home page.

---

 
Further information:

• British Parliament Votes to Keep Pro-Abortion Counseling (LifeNews.com)
• British Parliament debates abortion counselling (Vatican Radio)