In these difficult days good news is rare on the pro-life front and when it comes it should be made known as widely as possible.
we welcome the devolution of criminal justice from the Westminster parliament to the Stormont Assembly in Northern Ireland.
According to SPUC director John Smeaton a number of pro-life issues will now become the responsibility of the assembly. The Abortion Act he points out thankfully does not apply to Northern Ireland. From 12 April (when the devolved powers take effect) the assembly will be able to amend the existing legislation in respect of abortion, or not, as it sees fit. Sex education is already a devolved matter, but end-of-life issues are subject to Part II of the Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 1966. From 12 April the Northern Ireland assembly will assume responsibility for them.
There are still battles to be fought, not least the Health Board's determination to issue abortion information in contravention of a recent High Court ruling but the threat of a UK Government imposing abortion on an unwilling Northern Ireland has been removed
