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Tory MPs call for home early abortion service to be made permanent

Three Tory MPs are urging colleagues to vote for an abortion service that allows women to take pills to terminate early pregnancies at home.

The service was launched during the pandemic, meaning women could take the pills for up to 10 weeks into their pregnancy without visiting a clinic.

Colleagues have moved to make the service permanent and MPs will be able to vote on the proposal on Wednesday.

However, some have concerns about medical safety and forced partners.

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In a medical abortion, two different drugs are taken to end a pregnancy.

Before the pandemic, only the second pill could be taken at home, while the first had to be taken in a clinic.

But when lockdown kicked in, the government changed the rules to allow women to access treatment after a telephone or online consultation.

The temporary service was extended by six months in February and will end in August.

But campaigners have said they want the home option to remain indefinitely.

The Welsh Government has already acted to make it law while Scotland holds a consultation.

Tory MPs Sir Peter Bottomley, Caroline Nokes and Crispin Blunt wrote in House magazine that the removal of the service was a “serious misjudgment”.

They wrote: “We encourage all MPs who believe in evidence-based policy making and women’s reproductive rights to vote for the change [from the Lords]so that doctors and nurses can continue to provide this safe, effective and compassionate form of abortion care to all who choose to receive it.”

However, some MPs are concerned about the safety of the service, while others have concerns that forced partners could force women to take the pills.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid is understood to be “hanging on his guns” on the issue and taking a cautious approach.

However, the government has stated that the welfare and safety of women who need access to abortion services has been, and will continue to be, the first and foremost priority.

Conservative MPs will be given a free vote on the issue – meaning they don’t have to follow the government whips’ instructions on how to vote.

The decision comes as the Health and Care Bill returns to the Commons for MPs to consider amendments made by the House of Lords.