Abortion should be allowed on demand up to birth, a Scottish Government-commissioned report has recommended. The Abortion Law Review Expert Group called for abortion to be allowed beyond 24 weeks gestation for almost any reason, for decriminalisation of abortion, and for abortion to be recognised as a right for “all pregnant people” in Scotland. Among other controversial recommendations, the group opposed mandatory counselling, stronger protections against coercion, and a prohibition on sex-selective abortion. The report’s recommendations are reckless and must be rejected.”Sex-selective abortionCriticism reported in the press was particularly levelled at the Committee’s recommendation that “no specific reference is made to sex-selective abortion within any updated abortion legislation”. WestminsterAt Westminster recently, abortion decriminalisation was debated in the House of Lords during scrutiny of the Crime and Policing Bill.

Source: The Times November 19, 2025 14:08 UTC