XN000022-1980-11-19 — Page 20

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1980

REASONS FOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO ABORTION LAW

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THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE HON ERIC HO, IN INTRODUCING THE OFFENCES AGAINST THE PERSON (AMENDMENT) BILL 1980 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY STRESSED THAT THE PROPOSED PERMISSION FOR ABORTION OF AN ABNORMAL FOETUS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SAVING PUBLIC EXPENDITURE, WHICH HAS BEEN SUGGESTED BY SOME NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENTS.

+ WISH TO ASSURE THIS COUNCIL THAT THIS PROPOSAL ARISES WHOLLY FROM A DESIRE TO SAVE A WOMAN FROM THE STRESS OF BEARING AN ABNORMAL CHILD SHE WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE, AND A FAMILY FROM THE DISTRESS AND BURDEN OF HAVING AN UNWANTED HANDICAPPED MEMBER WHICH WITH ADVANCES IN MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE CAN BE PREDICTED IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, HE SAID.

HE STRESSED FURTHER THAT IF A PREGNANT WOMAN WISHES TO TAKE THE RISK OF CARRYING THE CHILD, THE GOVERNMENT FULLY ACCEPTS THE BABY'S AND THE FAMILY'S ENTITLEMENT TO SCREENING AND SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND DISABILITY ALLOWANCE, WHERE APPROPRIATE, AR ISING FROM OUR POLICY FOR INTEGRATING THE DISABLED IN THE COMMUNITY AND FROM OUR SOCIAL SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS.+

AS FOR THE OTHER TWO CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH IT WAS PROPOSED TO ALLOW ABORTION -- PREGNANT GIRLS UNDER 17, AND PREGNANCY RESULTING FROM RAPE OR RAPE-RELATED OFFENCES REPORTED TO THE POLICE - MR HO EXPLAINED THAT THE FIRST RECOGNISED THAT CONTINUATION OF THE PREGNANCY, IF UNWANTED, WOULD INVOLVE RISK OF INJURY TO THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF THE YOUNG WOMAN GREATER THAN IF PREGNANCY WERE TERMINATED, AND IT WAS SELF-EVIDENT IN THE SECOND THAT THE VICTIM OF SUCH HEINOUS CRIMES SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO SUFFER A DOUBLE PENALTY OF HAVING AN UNWANTED PREGNANCY AS WELL.

MR HO POINTED OUT THAT IN THE PROPOSALS TO PROTECT A VIABLE FOETUS (PREGNANCY OF MORE THAN 24 WEEKS' DURATION), AND AN UNBORN CHILD CAPABLE OF BEING BORN ALIVE (CARRIED BY A WOMAN PREGNANT FOR 28 WEEKS OR MORE), THE TIME LIMITS HAD BEEN GENERALLY ENDORSED BY THE PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS AS WELL AS THE PROFESSOR OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG.

ON THE UNDESIRABLE MEDICAL ADVERTISEMENTS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1980 WHICH WAS ALSO INTRODUCED INTO THE COUNCIL, MR HO POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS INTENDED TO SAFEGUARD THOSE WOMEN WHO ARE ENTITLED TO A THERAPEUTIC ABORTION BY STIFFENING THE LAW AGAINST THOSE WHO SEEK TO LURE THEM INTO TAKING AN APPARENTLY EASY, BUT ACTUALLY DANGEROUS, WAY OUT. +

DEBATE ON THE SECOND READING OF THE TWO BILLS WAS ADJOURNED.

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