Mr. Peter Thompson:

I know about two aspects of the current set-up in Ireland. One aspect is from personal experience and women coming over to us. The other is from my discussions with some of my colleagues here and how they have difficulty in interpreting the equivalent of our clause A when doing a termination of pregnancy when a woman's life is at risk and how they feel that there is great danger. The one thing that is similar is that it is a criminal offence in both countries at the moment if someone does not fulfil the law. As I understand it, the difference is that here it is also a criminal offence for the woman, whereas in the UK it is just the doctor who commits the criminal offence.

It is likely that it will be decriminalised in the UK. Certainly the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has suggested it should be monitored, as other aspects of medicine are, by the General Medical Council. A similar thing would be sensible here.