Pro-Life MP speaks about Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill

Jim Dobbin MP

Heywood amp; Middleton MP Jim Dobbin, chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group, will be speaking at all the Masses this Sunday at St Joseph’s, Heywood (9am, 11am and 6.30pm) about the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill that is currently going through Parliament. This Bill raises several ethical difficulties, such as the green light for the creation of hybrid animal-human embryos.

In addition, some MPs have already stated that they will seek to use the Bill to make abortion more easily available by seeking to:

• Drop the requirement for two doctors’ signatures to certify abortion.
• Allow non-medically qualified practitioners to perform abortions.
• Extend the Abortion Act to Northern Ireland without a mandate from the people of Northern Ireland or their elected representatives.
• Remove the right of doctors or nurses to conscientiously opt out of arranging or performing an abortion.

It is also possible that amendments will be proposed that would limit the harm done by the law. These may included:

• Lowering of the twenty-four week upper limit for abortion for social reasons.
• No longer regarding disability as a ground for abortion.
• More rigorous requirements of informed consent for women seeking abortion.

Father Paul Daly says: “The right to life is the most basic of all human rights. It is vital that all who uphold the Gospel of Life ensure that those who represent us or who seek to represent us will seek to uphold the values of life for all, even for the unborn.  At the Masses, Jim Dobbin will brief parishioners on the Bill and suggest ways in which they might seek to ensure that those who make our laws champion the right to life of the most voiceless in our society, the unborn. I am glad that Jim is giving time so generously to this most fundamental of all issues.”