The Right Reverend Joseph Devine, Bishop of Motherwell, has taken a stand against what he described as “immoral” government policy, which allows girls under the age of 16 to have abortions without the knowledge of their parents.

|TOP|The Catholic Bishop was speaking in response to a High Court decision that ruled in favour of Department of Health guidelines dealing with the problem of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The guidelines introduced in 2004 effectively allow health professionals to give sexual advice to under-16s without the consent or even the informing of their parents.

The Bishop spoke about the case of Sue Axon, 51, a divorced single parent from Baguley, Manchester. Sue Axon has two daughters: of 16 and 13 years; and was defeated in a court battle in which she challenged the legality of the guidelines. Bishop Devine spoke of the court’s decision saying: "No family pet would be operated on by a vet without approval from a parent in the household."

He continued: "Yet their 13-year-old daughter is not afforded the same parental care and support as she prepares to undergo a traumatic abortion."

The pro-abortion group Marie Stopes International responded by saying that the rights of a teenager, where different to those of a pet. They added that confidentiality was essential for young people to place their confidence in medical professionals and so reduce the risk to vulnerable young girls.

|AD|Mr Justice Silber said of his ruling in the case that there was clear evidence that "confidentiality is regarded as the most important factor by young people who are seeking advice from medical professionals on sexual matters''.

Bishop Devine however spoke of the decision as being just another example of the “ongoing betrayal” of the family by the government and the law. Devine said that: "The inconsistency and hypocrisy of the government is breathtaking."

He continued by saying: "On the one hand, as part of its respect agenda, the government quite correctly demands greater accountability from parents for the actions of their children. It then adopts a conflicting position by keeping parents in the dark about their teenage daughter's abortion plans.

“To propose that a young teenage girl suffer such a trauma without her parents' knowledge, and then to deprive her of her mum and dad's love and support after the deed is done, is one of the most cruel and callous actions one could inflict on a young girl."

The UK director of operations for Marie Stopes International claimed that "A person's sexuality is the most private part of anyone's lives, young people especially, and that has to be respected."

The Bishop of Glasgow, the Most Reverend Mario Conti, has also written a pastoral letter condemning the moral decline of society. 65,000 copies of the letter have been prepared and will be sent this weekend to the 500 Catholic churches in Scotland, as well as to Catholic households.