New clause 2—Abortion: Decriminalisation—

“(1) The Secretary of State must by regulations make whatever changes appear to the Secretary of State to be necessary or appropriate for the decriminalisation of abortion, in line with the recommendation in Paragraph 31 of the CEDAW General Recommendation No. 24: Article 12 of the Convention that “When possible, legislation criminalizing abortion should be amended, in order to withdraw punitive measures imposed on women who undergo abortion”.

(2) Regulations under subsection (1) must—

(a) provide for the repeal of sections 58, 59 and 60 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861,

(b) provide that no offence under these regulations or any other legislation is committed by a person complying with the requirements of subsection 1 of the Abortion Act 1967,

(c) provide that no offence under these regulations or any other legislation is committed by a person acting in relation to their own pregnancy where they have been coerced into taking that action,

(d) provide that no person acting in relation to their own pregnancy may be sentenced to a custodial sentence, and

(e) provide for alternative offences in relation to acts of abortion where the woman has not, or is suspected to have not, consented to the abortion.

(3) The Secretary of State may by regulations make any provision that appears to the Secretary of State to be appropriate in view of subsection (1), or (2).

(4) If regulations under subsection (1) are not approved by both Houses of Parliament within three months of this Act receiving Royal Assent, then sections 58, 59 and 60 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 are repealed.

(5) A statutory instrument made under this section may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.”