MIDDLEWICH MP Fiona Bruce is leading a campaign to outlaw sex-selective abortion.


Mrs Bruce has tabled a parliamentary amendment to the Serious Crime Bill which would make it clear that conducting or procuring an abortion on the grounds that the unborn child is a girl or a boy is illegal.


Dozens of MPs signed the amendment to the Serious Crime Bill on January 23. If selected for debate in the House of Commons at the next legislative stage of the Serious Crime Bill, the amendment will be voted on and, if ratified by a majority of MPs, it will become law.


Mrs Bruce said: “The amendment has two aims. Firstly, to make the government to think of ways to support women who are under pressure to abort on grounds of the sex of their baby. Secondly, to stop this practice by confirming, beyond doubt, the current law. 


“This clarification is necessary to prevent false information being distributed to women – still today, BPAS, Britain’s biggest abortion provider, on their website, insists that sex-selective abortion is not illegal – and this despite my Ten Minute Rule Bill of last November when MPs voted 181 to 1 that it is indeed illegal.


“Evidence from women shows this is still happening and so stronger legislative force is needed – hence my amendment to the Serious Crime Bill. 


“I am delighted that so many MPs are supporting it to send out such a clear message that this practice must stop. If we condemn this in countries like China where it has produced such an imbalance in young people that villages can have 30 young men to one young woman – whilst no-one is saying that the extent of the practice here is at anything like that level – it is happening here and it is equally wrong. 


“I cannot be allowed to become culturally acceptable and we should no longer be turning a blind eye to it.”