Amnesty International has welcomed the publication of a delayed report recommending the relaxation of Northern Ireland’s abortion laws in cases of fatal foetal abnormality.

Northern Ireland’s Departments of Health and Justice published the report yesterday, nearly two years after it was commissioned.

The human rights group said the UK government should urgently bring forward legislation at Westminster to implement the recommendations of the report.

Grainne Teggart, Amnesty’s Northern Ireland campaigns manager, said: “We welcome the publication of this report. It confirms what we have long known - that reform of our law is needed. It also demonstrates that the medical profession, alongside Amnesty and others, want to see change legislated for.

“Our current law is not fit for purpose for both women and those who care for them. No woman, including those whose pregnancies have been given a fatal foetal diagnosis, should be forced to board a plane to access this healthcare.”

Ms Teggart added: “Whilst this report calls for a change to the law in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities, it is not the limit of the change that is needed which must go further and include the decriminalisation of abortion. We call on the UK Government to legislate for abortion reform without any further delay.”