As we noted in Sunday’s round-up, on Good Friday the Northern Ireland Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety published new Guidance for Health and Social Care Professionals on Termination of Pregnancy in Northern Ireland. It makes it clear at the outset that the guidance “cannot, and does not, make any change to the law of Northern Ireland. In the event of any conflict between this guidance and the law, the latter will always prevail” [1.9: emphasis in original].

The guidance

Briefly, the guidance points out that termination of pregnancy is governed by ss 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and s 25 of the Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 1945 and summarises the current law as follows: Continue reading →