Pic:Campaigner Sarah Ewart (left) travelled to England for an abortion after learning that her baby would die soon after birth
Health reporter(wp):
Women from Northern Ireland will be able to get abortions in England, the government has said.
More than 50 MPs from the major parties had backed a Labour-led call for the women to have abortions for free in England - they currently have to pay.
The BBC's political editor said ministers made the concession because it appeared some Tory MPs might back the call, risking a possible defeat.
Northern Ireland's abortion laws are much stricter than the rest of the UK.
Abortions are only allowed in Northern Ireland if a woman's life is at risk or there is a permanent or serious risk to her physical or mental health. Rape, incest and fatal foetal abnormalities are not circumstances in which they can be performed legally.
Women seeking an abortion can travel to England to have one privately, but had not been allowed to have them free on the NHS - a position that was backed by the UK Supreme Court earlier this month.
An amendment on the issue, co-ordinated by Labour's Stella Creasy, which had cross-party backing, had been selected for inclusion in the Queen's Speech debate - which meant Theresa May's government ran the risk of possible defeat.
Since the election Mrs May no longer has a majority of MPs so has to rely on backing from the 10 DUP MPs - but even then she remains vulnerable to a rebellion from her own Conservative MPs.
The news of the change of policy was welcomed by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service which described it as a "landmark moment: for years the women of Northern Ireland, despite being UK citizens and taxpayers, have not been entitled to NHS-funded treatment".
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