Petition · past parliament

Provide equality for Northern Ireland with rest of UK on abortion, gay marriage

Rejected 21 signatures

What the petition asks

Northern Ireland has no functioning Assembly and Executive, so is unable to initiate a referendum to provide the right of women to access an abortion or gay people to exercise their right to marry. This petition calls on Parliament to allow people of Northern Ireland to choose equality of treatment.

Why it was rejected

It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.

We can’t accept your petition because responsibility for the law on abortion and equal marriage in Northern Ireland is devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Even though the Northern Ireland Assembly is not sitting, the UK Parliament hasn’t formally taken back responsibility for this issue.

You could start a new petition calling on the UK Parliament to change the law, to take back the responsibility for the law on abortion and equal marriage and then to change the law in Northern Ireland.

Timeline

27 May 2018 Petition opened for signatures
1 Jun 2018 Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 21
Status Rejected
Rejected 1 Jun 2018

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.