Women’s Rights 2022-09-07
2022-09-07
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP raises concerns about women's rights issues not being adequately addressed despite governmental support and legislative actions.
What steps his Department is taking to help protect women's rights in Northern Ireland. Despite the lead taken by the Government and the votes of this House, abortion services are still not being commissioned in Northern Ireland. I ask the Secretary of State to give a timeframe for when that will finally occur.
I thank my hon. Friend for his question. This Government support any work undertaken in Northern Ireland to tackle issues that disproportionately affect women. In May, my predecessor made regulations that remove the barriers to ensure that women and girls in Northern Ireland have the same access to healthcare as those in the rest of the UK. I will happily write to my hon. Friend with more details about that, but the regulations laid in May take a dual approach. On 20 May, the previous Northern Ireland Secretary wrote to the Health Minister in Northern Ireland requesting that he provide a clear and unambiguous commitment that he will comply with the regulations.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific timeframe for commissioning abortion services was not provided.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP raises concerns about women's rights issues not being adequately addressed despite governmental support and legislative actions.
Despite the lead taken by the Government and the votes of this House, abortion services are still not being commissioned in Northern Ireland. I ask the Secretary of State to give a timeframe for when that will finally occur.
I will happily write to my hon. Friend with more details about that, but the regulations laid in May take a dual approach. On 20 May, the previous Northern Ireland Secretary wrote to the Health Minister in Northern Ireland requesting that he provide a clear and unambiguous commitment that he will comply with the regulations.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific timeframe for commissioning abortion services was not provided.
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
A Member of Parliament praises the achievements of a prominent female athlete and asks about initiatives to promote women's involvement in sports.
On the issue of women's rights, this week Northern Ireland's golden girl, Lady Mary Peters, celebrated 50 years since achieving her gold medal at the Olympics. She has inspired young women such as Bethany Firth, Kate O'Connor, Ciara Mageean and a host of others to do likewise. Now that the Secretary of State is in post, what will he do to promote women into sport and encourage them with not only active support but resources for sport?
I thank the hon. Member for his question. He will know that I am a not very good but passionate sportsman in a whole host of sports, and I recognise what getting more women involved in all sorts of sports can do to benefit communities, people, their health and everything else. I will do everything I possibly can using sport as a tool to both get involved in all the communities in Northern Ireland and try to encourage more women into sport at the same time.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific actions and resources being allocated were not detailed.
Response accuracy