... comes from Ann Furedi, director of communications, at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service:

"Today's attempt by Baroness Young to bring about the annulment of the order allowing the emergency contraceptive Levonelle-2 to be sold from pharmacies is more significant than it first appears."

"The attempt to retain prescription status is not based on concerns about the safety or efficacy of the product, but on the 'morality' of making emergency contraception more easily available. Both the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Medicine's Control Agency are satisfied that Levonelle-2 poses minimal risk to users. The debate centres on whether it is appropriate to make it easier for women to access emergency contraception. Would this lead to an increase in otherwise unprotected sex? Will it endorse promiscuity?"

"In truth all methods of contraception are designed to allow us to enjoy sex without unwanted consequences. It is bizarre in the extreme to argue against the availability of a method on the grounds that it makes it too easy to have sex for fun. And it would be disgraceful if the Lords to prohibit easy access to a drug that is safe and effective because they disapprove of the lifestyle of those who would use it."

"Clinical effectiveness and safety issues should underpin the manner in which medicines are provided, not the dusty moral judgements of the upper house."