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<p>The Abortion Act 1967 sets out that an abortion may be carried out after 24 weeks
gestation only where:</p><p> </p><p>― the termination is necessary to prevent grave
permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman Section 1(1)(b);
or</p><p> </p><p>― the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life
of the pregnant woman, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated Section 1(1)(c);
or</p><p> </p><p>― 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 Section
1(1)(d).</p><p> </p><p>In England and Wales it is accepted Parliamentary practice
that proposals for changes to the Abortion Act come from backbench members and that
decisions are made on the basis of free votes. The Government has no plans to review
this legislation.</p>
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