Northern Ireland Abortion: Brandon Lewis to use powers to set up NI abortion services

The secretary of state said he now expects to use new powers to commission abortion services in Northern Ireland.

Brandon Lewis also told MPs he is "minded' to include a telemedicine service for women seeking abortions.

This service was not included in previous regulations.

Mr Lewis has addressed a scrutiny committee at Westminster seeking retrospective approval for the new powers allowing him to act without Stormont consent.

Last month, he told the Department of Health to set up a full funded abortion service "within weeks" or he would act.

Today he told the committee he no longer "expects the Department of Health or health minister to take forward the commissioning of abortion service"

He said his "experience over the past two years is that he (health minister) fundamentally won't".

As a result, he said he expected to use the new powers "relatively soon".

"I don't want anybody to be under any misconception about that," he told MP's.

When pressed for a start date by Alliance MP Stephen Farry, the secretary of state said he could not give a 'specific date".

He said: "We have brought a team of experts into the Northern Ireland Office to work on how to commission the services.

"As soon as that team have developed the commissioning we will take action immediately. I envisage that happening quickly but I would not want to give a false date".

When asked about providing telemedicine services, the secretary of state said he would assess that option but he was "minded to take action" to ensure that women in Northern Ireland could access the same services available in other parts of the UK.

But the Mr Lewis faced criticism from the DUP MP Ian Paisley who accused the government of ignoring the views of local politicians.

He said "they can't disregard the government of Northern Ireland".

He accused the government of plundering and threatening the Belfast Agreement, while at the same time claiming they supported it.

The cross party committee voted to approve the legislation by 11 votes to 2.