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The All-Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group regularly produces documents on the following subjects. There is also a section below detailing relevant parliamentary legislation that you may find of interest. Please choose from the topic headings below:

Abortion Embryo Research and New Reproductive Technologies Euthanasia Population Control and International Development Sexual Health

UK Legislation There are many Acts of Parliament which are relevant to the work of the Group, and the list below is not exhaustive. The Group was involved actively during the passage of a number of these Bills, for more information view the history section of the Group Information page. Acts which don't have a link can be obtained by calling The Stationary Office Ltd (TSO Ltd) on 0870 600 5522 and selecting option 1 (Customer Services). Human Reproductive Cloning Act 2001 - An Act which attempted to close a potential loophole in the law by making it illegal to place in a woman a human embryo created by cloning. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Research Purposes) Regulations 2001 - A Statutory Instrument which attempted to extend the remit of the 1990 HFE Act to cover experimentation on embryos for the purpose of developing treatments for serious disease. Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 - A wide-ranging Act which, amongst other things, made amendments to the 1967 Abortion Act and established the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to regulate embryology in the UK. Abortion Act 1967 - The Act of Parliament which legalised abortion in England, Wales and Scotland (but not Northern Ireland, where abortion is still illegal). It gives no woman any right to an abortion, but provides a number of grounds under which an abortion can be carried out, subject to the certification of two doctors. The Act also contains a conscience clause enabling a doctor or nurse to 'opt out'. Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929 - This filled a gap in the 1861 law protecting babies who might be killed in the course of being born. If the pregnancy has lasted for 28 weeks the child is presumed to be 'capable of being born alive' and is protected. This Act was specifically left unaffected by the Abortion Act 1967 but was much reduced by the 1990 Act. The Offences against the Person Act 1861 - Section 58 and 59 of this Act outlawed abortion and made it a crime for anyone unlawfully to assist in or attempt an abortion by any means whatsoever, even if the woman is not pregnant. This is still the law in the UK. This Act (and the 1929 Act) is also law in many Commonwealth countries which inherited British law upon independence.

Failed Bills In addition to legislation passed by Parliament, there are also a number of Bills which, for whatever reason, failed to reach the statute books. The history section will provide more insight. Medical Treatment (Prevention of Euthanasia) Bill - A Private Member's Bill brought by Ann Winterton in 2000. The purpose of the Bill was to make it clear to doctors that they cannot intentionally bring about the death of their patients, by action or by omission. Click here to view the debate in the House of Commons following the Bill's second reading. Freezing of Human Embryos - A Bill presented in 1996 by David Amess.

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