WESTMINSTER will step in to change Northern Ireland's strict law on abortion if a court rules it is incompatible with individual human rights, women and equalities minister Penny Mordaunt has said.
At a Tory leadership hustings in Cultra, Co Down, on Tuesday, both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt said they believed the issue should be a matter for a power-sharing government at Stormont.
But with the Stormont institutions suspended since the collapse of power-sharing in 2017, Ms Mordaunt indicated that MPs at Westminster would act if the High Court in Belfast upheld a challenge to the current law.
Ms Mordaunt, who is also the defence secretary and a strong supporter of Mr Hunt, said the Commons women and equalities committee had received "shocking" evidence about the lack of care available to women in the north seeking a termination.
"The reason why this hasn't been dealt with to date is because it is a devolved matter and we take devolution seriously," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"We are expecting a ruling shortly that what is going on in Northern Ireland is incompatible with an individual's human rights.
"In every single case where there has been a declaration of incompatibility with human rights, the government has acted. This government has acted, previous governments have acted."
She added: "I think the paucity of care that women have endured in Northern Ireland is the most appalling thing. It must change, that is my view."
At the hustings on Tuesday, Mr Hunt said he personally supported a change to the law but both he and Mr Johnson agreed it should ultimately be a matter for Stormont where the Tories' allies in the DUP strongly oppose change.
The legal challenge has been brought by Sarah Ewart (28) who in 2013 had to travel to England for an abortion after receiving a diagnosis of a fatal foetal abnormality.
Her case was brought after the Supreme Court ruled last year that Northern Ireland's abortion laws were in breach of human rights laws.
However, the court concluded that the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission - which brought the case - did not have the power to bring the proceedings as it was not itself a "victim" of any unlawful act.
Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International's Northern Ireland campaign manager, welcomed Ms Mordaunt's comments.
"The comments demonstrate the support within Cabinet for change and will act as a reminder to the next prime minister that the UK Government cannot ignore their responsibilities nor hide from the urgent need for reform," she said.
Ms Ewart said she hopes government will listen to women like her.
"We shouldn't have to fight through the courts to have our rights realised," she said.
However. Bernadette Smyth from anti-abortion group Precious Life said it was hopeful that the court would "uphold the right to life".
"We are also hopeful that whoever will be the next prime minister will work to uphold democracy," she said.
"The DUP have said time and time again that they will oppose any change in the law.
"Until direct rule is in place it would be unfair of any government to make a change in the law over the heads of elected politicians at Stormont."
