"MY OWN position on abortion, which I believe must be an issue of conscience for members of Parliament, is that I would probably vote to tighten the time limit in accordance with recent advances in medical science.
"The issue should be kept well away from party politics, and party instruction."
Alex Salmond, First Minister "We are killing, in our country, the equivalent of a classroom of kids every day. Can you imagine that? Two Dunblane massac
res a day in our country.
"I ask them [Catholic politicians] to examine their consciences and discern if they are playing any part in sustaining this social evil. I remind them to avoid co-operating in the unspeakable crime of abortion and the barrier such co-operation erects to receiving Holy Communion."
Cardinal Keith O'Brien, leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland "The medical ethics committee considers access to first-trimester abortions should be available on an informed-consent basis as with other medical procedures. Removing the current conditions will remove the legislative and administrative burdens created by the act that, in reality, do not stop women seeking abortion, but potentially expose women to delays and more costly and higher-risk procedures."
The British Medical Association ethics commission "While overall responsibility for the NHS in Scotland lies with Holyrood, abortion, human fertilisation and embryology are reserved to Westminster.
"There is a danger that, besides having no constitutional role, Scotland will be left out of the debate."
John Haldane, professor of philosophy at St Andrews University "I would be quite happy to support the call for a proper inquiry - I think parliament would be open-minded."
Sir David Steel, who introduced the original 1967 Abortion Act on calls for an examination of time limitsThe full article contains 293 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
