I WRITE to comment on your reporting of the recent ComRes poll on abortion limits (“Majority rejects bid to force abortion changes”, The Herald, May 22) and the letter from Martin Conroy (May 26).
Previous surveys asking a simple question on abortion limits have produced around 76 per cent in favour of no change to the law for both Scotland and south of the Border, therefore I looked at the questions which ComRes had been asking to see why there was such a discrepancy.
It is disappointing to say the least that each question is prefaced by a statement, which could very clearly be construed to be “guiding” the answers wanted.
For example, the question about time limits starts with the statement “in most other EU countries the limit for most abortions is 12 weeks or lower. In light of this difference what do you think the time limits should be in Britain?”
The statement is extremely misleading, as a check of abortion law limits shows nearly every EU country allows abortion on request to 12 weeks, and then in conjunction with doctor/counsellor/social worker thereafter up to the end of second trimester. This is essentially the same as in the UK.
Only one in 10 abortions in UK is later than 13 weeks, and the vast majority of them are as a result of major foetal abnormality which may not be detected or confirmed until after 16 weeks, or serious maternal illness.
In addition, previous questions in the same ComRes poll mention severe haemorrhage, criminal law, medical negligence, and subsequent questions include remarks about financial gain, and the amount of money Marie Stopes has donated to abortion services overseas.
One has to ask who framed these most unusual questions, and it seems to me that this survey was anything but impartial. In particular it is of major concern that it was reported as showing that “most people” think abortion limits should be curtailed.
Dr Joan Noble,
Delnieswood, 16 Moss-side Drive, Nairn.
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