Two Pro-Life Private Members’ Bills Set for First Reading in the House of Lords

The Complications from Abortions (Annual Report) Bill, sponsored by Lord Moylan, will be read on 9 June 2026. The Infant (Born Alive) Protection Bill, sponsored by Baroness O’Loan, will be read on 11 June 2026. Both emerged from the Lords’ Private Members’ Bill ballot (positions 14 and 17) and aim to improve abortion-related reporting and safeguard infants who survive abortion attempts.

Two pro-life bills to be introduced in the House of Lords

A 2023 Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) review found that the Abortion Notification System (ANS) under-reports complications. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) for England (2017-2021) recorded 4.06 complications per 1,000 abortions, versus 1.52 per 1,000 in ANS – a 2.6-fold difference. Including incomplete abortions raised HES rates to 18.16 per 1,000, nearly 12 times the ANS figure. For women under 20, HES rates were 4.43 times higher (or 17.43 times higher with incomplete abortions). The review noted that complications after discharge or after the ANS form had been submitted were often omitted, creating a reporting gap the bills seek to close.

Two pro-life bills to be introduced in the House of Lords

Lord Moylan, Baroness O’Loan, Catherine Robinson (Right to Life UK spokesperson), and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) are the principal actors.

Two pro-life bills to be introduced in the House of Lords

Accurate complication data could shape health-policy and resource allocation. The 2026 Crime and Policing Act removed criminal penalties for self-induced abortions at any stage, which the review expects could lead to a rise in at-home abortions and increase the risk to women. The Infant (Born Alive) Protection Bill would codify legal safeguards for newborns who survive abortion attempts, addressing concerns that current law offers limited protection.

Two pro-life bills to be introduced in the House of Lords

Catherine Robinson of Right to Life UK said the review indicated that official statistics likely underestimate the true rate of abortion complications and urged immediate legislative action to improve data collection and reporting. No formal government response has been recorded.

Two pro-life bills to be introduced in the House of Lords

• “Discussing Lord Moylan’s Complications from Abortions (Annual Report) Bill being drawn in the ballot, Catherine Robinson, spokesperson for Right To Life UK, stated: A Government review in 2023 revealed that abortion complication rates are likely much higher than has been previously reported in the annual abortion statistics, which are based on reporting from abortion providers.” — Catherine Robinson, spokesperson, Right to Life UK

Two pro-life bills to be introduced in the House of Lords

• “In this new parliamentary session, the Government needs to urgently introduce measures to ensure that abortion complications data is accurately collected and reliably reported moving forward.” — Catherine Robinson, spokesperson, Right to Life UK

Two pro-life bills to be introduced in the House of Lords

After their first readings on 9 June and 11 June, the bills will proceed through the usual Lords stages—second reading, committee scrutiny, and report—before a possible Commons vote. Their progress will be watched by health officials, advocacy groups, and legal scholars.

Two pro-life bills to be introduced in the House of Lords