Primetime Abortions ?

Rule changes to the UK's TV advertising will propose that TV Ad's promoting Abortion clinics will be allowed on UK TV channels. The same changes will also allow the advertising of Condoms.

The changes to the normally strict Code of Practice of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has almost certainly been driven by the Government in response to new figures published for teenage pregnancies.

This announcement coincides with new government efforts to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies in Britain which, at 42 per 1,000 under-18s is now the highest rate in Europe.

Advisory services will be allowed to reach out to viewers of soap operas, documentaries and films. Clinics which do not offer abortions will have to make the point clear to viewers to avoid any confusion.

Pro-life groups have accused the advertising watchdog of showing "bias" against anti-abortion campaigners in proposing the changes which, they said, would increase the number of abortions. "It will mean that abortion is promoted as a solution to women's problems," said John Smeaton, the national director of the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child.

Most critical commentators have suggested that this strategy by the Government is purely finance based and shows no care or understanding for the individual. For some it is seen as an underhand way of simply attempting to cut the rising costs in child support and social support for single Mum's and their children and a way of helping to cut the costs of the Governments' state aid bill, hit hard by rising unemployment and house repossessions, bank crisis and ever increasing debts. The move, it has also been suggested, has nothing to do with sex education, changing social trends or developing greater awareness amongst teenagers of their wider options and full free support also available. Nor does it concern itself with the individual and the need for unbiased and free advice and guidance prior to taking such a decision.

It has been argued that the Abortion Clinics are private and quite possibly expensive, as they are able to afford TV advertising and the production of a TV commerical. These clinics are more than likely to be far out of reach of the funds available to most teenage Mum's and the target audience that the Government needs to address. It has not been shown that free to air public service advertising advising teenagers of NHS free clinical services and advice centres will also be included in the TV advertising or offered free national airtime.

The Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child accused the ASA of not allowing a "level playing field". "We survive on a shoestring. We cannot afford to advertise," said Mr Smeaton.

Andrew Brown, chairman of CAP and BCAP, said: "The UK advertising codes are widely recognised for setting a high bar for social responsibility. Our priority is to ensure that the rules remain relevant for the future so consumers can continue to enjoy and trust the ads they see... We sought the views of industry and policy-makers and now we want to hear from all other interested parties, including the people that matter the most in advertising, the general public."

Whether TV advertising of fee charging Abortion clinics will have any impact on a teenage audience, that will mostly not have access to such private medical funds, is seen as very unlikely by many. This also leaves aside the vast array of viewpoints about the lack of moral and pro-life issues that may not be allowed to be aired, or may not be able to afford such TV advertsing as part of a balanced service.