Dr Alex Allinson MHK has taken the responses to the public consultation into account with his publication of the full Bill to go before the House of Keys in January 2018.
The public response to Dr Allinson’s first draft was the biggest ever achieved by IOM Government on any subject, with over 3,500 individuals and organisations taking the opportunity to express their opinions and to make suggestions on how the draft Bill should be revised. It is to the credit of Dr Allinson and Tynwald’s legal drafters that the revised version has been published ahead of its first reading in the House of Keys.
You can read the revised draft here:
So what’s changed?
Below is the document published in conjunction with the Bill which details the changes made as a result of responses to the public consultation:
And what’s missing?
CALM is concerned that despite more than 85% of respondents to the public consultation thinking that there should be legal protection to prevent demonstrations or protests, there is no mention of buffer zones around any facility providing abortion advice or treatment in the newly revised Bill. This COULD include not just the hospital but also GP surgeries and any place offering counselling.
What can you do?
The Bill will go before the House of Keys for its first reading on 23rd January 2018 and for the second reading shortly afterwards, when we expect a lively and intelligent debate. It is likely that MHKs will introduce amendments – and if, like CALM, you believe that one of these should include the provision of buffer zones, then please contact your MHK asking them to support Dr Allinson’s Abortion Reform Bill, and to also consider making buffer zones a legal requirement.
Follow this link to find your MHK and his or her contact details.
http://www.tynwald.org.im/memoff/member/Pages/default.aspx













