Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill — Prospects for life of handicapped child must be given before abortion — rejected — 20 May 2008 at 22:00
The majority of MPs voted against adding a new paragraph to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill[1] which would have said:[2]
- If tests of a foetus reveal that there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped, a registered medical practitioner or a suitably qualified health professional expeditiously shall provide the pregnant woman with
- current, scientific information in a written form concerning the life expectancy of, the expected intellectual and functional development of, and the treatment options for a foetus diagnosed with, or a child born with, the physical or mental abnormalities identified as a risk by those tests.
- contact details for, where available, supportive service providers, including telephone help lines specific to the physical or mental abnormalities identified as a risk by those tests, and
- the offer of a suitable opportunity to receive relevant counselling and such other information as they deem proper.
Had this vote been won, it would have been illegal for a termination of pregnancy to take place without the information and offer been provided.
- [1] Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, House of Commons, 6 February 2008
- [2] Nick Palmer MP, House of Commons, 20 May 2008
Party Summary
Votes by party, red entries are votes against the majority for that party.
What is Tell? '+1 tell' means that in addition one member of that party was a teller for that division lobby.
What are Boths? An MP can vote both aye and no in the same division. The boths page explains this.
What is Turnout? This is measured against the total membership of the party at the time of the vote.
| Party | Majority (No) | Minority (Aye) | Both | Turnout |
| Con | 37 | 86 (+1 tell) | 0 | 64.6% |
| DUP | 0 | 6 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Independent | 4 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Independent Labour | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Lab | 234 (+2 tell) | 47 (+1 tell) | 0 | 80.9% |
| LDem | 28 | 27 | 0 | 87.3% |
| PC | 2 | 0 | 0 | 66.7% |
| SDLP | 0 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
| SNP | 3 | 2 | 0 | 83.3% |
| UUP | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Total: | 309 | 173 | 0 | 76.7% |
Rebel Voters - sorted by party
MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party. You can see all votes in this division, or every eligible MP who could have voted in this division
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