Government set to lay out plans for abortion in NI

Northern Ireland's abortion laws changed last year

The government will set out further steps this week on the commissioning of abortion services for Northern Ireland, BBC News NI understands.

In March, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis took new powers allowing him to direct Stormont to act.

Northern Ireland's abortion laws changed last year after Westminster acted during the absence of devolution.

But the commissioning of services has been stalled due to disagreement within the five-party executive.

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In May, the government said if Stormont's Department of Health did not take "concrete steps" towards commissioning services before Parliament's summer recess, it stood "ready to act".

The regulations state that the secretary of state is acting as required to uphold legal and human rights duties on Northern Ireland abortion services.

The Department of Health has maintained that the matter is "controversial" and any decision on abortion services must be made by the whole executive.

However, Stormont parties remain deadlocked over the issue meaning there has been no movement in recent months.

In May, proposals from Ulster Unionist Health Minister Robin Swann on commissioning of abortion services were blocked from executive discussion by the DUP.

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The party is opposed to abortion and has previously criticised Mr Lewis for taking powers to act, saying it would have "serious consequences for devolution".

Sinn Féin, the SDLP and Alliance have said they would support the commissioning of services being imposed by Westminster, if it remains stalled by the executive.

A Westminster source said the government is expected to set out what it will do next towards the end of this week.

Abortion laws changed in Northern Ireland in March 2020, allowing terminations to take place in some circumstances.

According to the latest figures from Stormont's Department of Health, 1,556 terminations have taken place in Northern Ireland since March 2020.

But health trusts have been only carrying out limited services, meaning some women seeking an abortion beyond 10 weeks in their pregnancy have had to travel to Great Britain to access services.

The delay in commissioning a fully-funded and staffed model is currently being challenged in a judicial review at Belfast's High Court.