"Is there a Doctor in the house?" Last-gasp abortion amendment rejected

Friday 16 July 2021

The modernisation of Guernsey's abortion laws was officially voted through following an emotive and gruelling debate.

The new legislation brings with it numerous changes to regulations in Guernsey, crucially the extension of the threshold for termination from 12 to 24 weeks.

The proposal for a new Abortion Law replacing the existing legislation from 1997 was passed in June 2020 after three days of debate. In addition to the increased threshold, it proposed that abortions would no longer require the sign off from two doctors, just one; while self-abortions have been decriminalised.

It took another two days of debate and several delaying attempts before the final vote, following Deputy Carl Meerveld and Liam McKenna's attempts to lodge a sursis, delaying the vote for a year for further consultation. This was roundly thrown out on Wednesday.

Pictured: “It is with great reluctance that I lay this sursis because I am pro-choice - I support updating the Abortion Law,” said Deputy Meerveld.

The debate started on Thursday with an impassioned plea from Deputy Chris Blin, who accepted that the law needed updating, but disagreed with several adjustments to the legislation within it.

"I stand by the mother and the unborn child, but surely we can't have an abortion law that is discriminatory to disabled people," he said.

Deputy Rob Prow agreed with Deputy Blin, who argued that children at 24 weeks shouldn't be terminated.

"Unborn children have a high compatibility with survival at 24 weeks," said Deputy Prow.

Pictured: Deputy Steve Falla couldn't bring himself to support the legislation; "I've really wrestled with this item - I have both friends on both sides and they all have deeply held and valid views."

The concern for extending the threshold led to a sudden amendment from Deputy John Gollop, seconded by Deputy Blin. Both suggested that reducing the threshold to 22 weeks would be more "morally justifiable".

"Whatever we vote on we will not have satisfied either camp completely," said Deputy Gollop.

Deputy Jonathon Le Tocq begrudgingly agreed for a concession, despite holding strong opinions against passing the legislation.

"If you're pro-choice this legislation still limits that choice - when I asked [people who were pro-choice] who would allow elective abortion up until the full-term I saw no hands, this would suggest there is a decision to be made somewhere in between."

Despite the arguments for the amendment, it was slammed by most of the Assembly.

"The amendment gives us an arbitrary 22 weeks - 24 weeks has been decided by medical specialists," said former HSC President Heidi Soulsby.

Her successor in the role, Deputy Al Brouard, said: "If you didn't agree with the decision made last time, start a consultation and bring a researched amendment to the States, you had a year! Don't give us 58 minutes."

Pictured: "Don't come to the Assembly with a last minute amendment on the hoof," scolded Deputy Brouard.

The Vice-President of HSC, Deputy Tina Bury, was damning of the amendment and Deputies' attempts to mould legislation without proper medical backgrounds.

"Is there a doctor in the house? I don't think there is... that concerns me greatly," she said.

The amendment was voted out 27-12 and general debate continued on the change in legislation.

Most of the assembly lost steam after Deputy Gollop's amendment, with Deputy Meerveld repeating his reasons for delaying or throwing out the proposed legislation and most minds already made up. It saw 15 Deputies leave the Chamber at one point during his speech in general debate.

"I find it inconceivable that 15 Deputies have left when you're discussing a matter of life and death," said an outraged Deputy McKenna.

Deputy John Dyke then asked to delay the rest of the debate until the end of the agenda, to allow for more amendments to potentially be drawn up. This suggestion was voted against by the assembly. 

Subsequently, Deputy Gavin St Pier then put in a successful guillotine motion to end debate. The final vote was 28 for, 10 against, and one abstention.