Abortion law reform
From Sir Victor Raikes Sir: Madeleine Simms in her article ia your columns (February 1) makes It quite plain that she would favour abortion on demand. She claims that the right not to have a child is as important as the right to have one and that in an advanced industrial society women wish to choose the number of children they want to have. She knows PerfectlY
well that the object of the Abortion Act was not to grant abortion on demand although, in the private sector, a few doctors have made fortunes by deliberately evading the intention of Parliament. She must also be aware that the latest survey of public opinion (Lane Report) showed that 80 per cent of men and 85 per cent of women are still Opposed to abortion by request. Nevertheless she is only too glad to let existing abuses remain unchecked and, such is her willingness for the live foetus to be destroyed, however selfish the reasons, that I suspect she might well favour a change in the law which would enable a woman to have her baby destroyed directly after birth if she did not like the look of it.
.Mr James White seeks in his private Bill to close loopholes not intended by Parliament, and most sensible people Will wish him good fortune.
Victor Raikes 8 Gledhow Gardens, London SW5
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