The Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2020

Introductory

Citation, commencement and extent

1.  These Regulations—

(a) may be cited as the Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2020;

(b) come into force on 31st March 2020;

(c) extend to Northern Ireland only.

Interpretation

2.—(1) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(1) applies to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

(2) In these Regulations—

“the Department” means the Department of Health in Northern Ireland;

“registered medical practitioner” means a fully registered person within the meaning of the Medical Act 1983(2) who holds a licence to practise under that Act;

“registered”, in relation to a nurse or midwife, means registered in the register maintained under article 5 of the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001(3) by virtue of qualifications in nursing or midwifery, as the case may be;

“registered medical professional” means—

(a)

a registered medical practitioner;

(b)

a registered midwife;

(c)

a registered nurse;

“termination” means a termination of pregnancy;

(3) References in these Regulations to a woman include a person of any age who is pregnant.

(4) References in these Regulations to the termination of pregnancy are references to its termination (whether by medical or surgical means) as regards any fetus in circumstances where it is intended that that fetus will not be delivered alive.

(1)

1954 c. 33 (N.I.).

(2)

1983 c. 54, as amended by S.I. 2000/3041, 2002/3135, 2006/1914, 2007/3101, 2008/1774, 2019/593. There are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

(3)

S.I. 2002/253, as amended by S.I. 2009/1182 and 2018/838. There are other amending instruments but none is relevant.