However, two opposition MPs were scathing of the committee's decision to delve into the issue of conscience votes, arguing it was a party decision and anyone who needed help to understand the concept could look it up in the Oxford dictionary.

The Palaszczuk Labor government has introduced a bill which would decriminalise abortion and allow terminations on request up to 22 weeks, create safe access zones and a requirement for doctors who conscientiously object to refer patients to another medical professional.

Doctors would need to consult with a second practitioner before deciding if an abortion should be performed after 22 weeks.

In a report tabled on Friday afternoon, the parliamentary committee scrutinising the bill — which has three Labor members, one Green and two LNP — recommended it be passed and said MPs should be given a conscience vote.

Labor will allow its MPs a conscience vote when the bill comes before Parliament later this month, while the LNP has not yet announced whether its members will be forced to vote along party lines.

Committee chairman Aaron Harper said a conscience vote in Parliament on an issue such as reforming abortion laws was "absolutely essential" for maintaining public confidence in the democratic process and institutions.

"In light of the sensitive subject matter and the history of consideration of termination of pregnancy and other similar issues, the committee has recommended ... [the bill] be subject to a personal vote by members," he said.

"Whilst some may say this decision is outside the scope of the bill, we have made the recommendation for a number of reasons.

"It is not intended to be provocative or in any way politicise the bill before us but to better inform all members across the chamber of the importance of having a free vote on such a sensitive issue, particularly those members who have never experienced a personal or conscience vote."

Mr Harper said the decision to terminate a pregnancy was one of the most difficult decisions a woman could face, and no two cases were the same, thanking the many people who shared their stories, including women who had abortions due to severe fetal abnormalities.

He said the committee also heard from women in western, regional and remote Queensland who experienced issues accessing termination services and had to travel great distances, including interstate, due to the procedure being in the Criminal Code.

Teachers, doctors, lawyers, unions and youth groups this week described Queensland's current abortion laws as "archaic, cruel and degrading".

However, the LNP members of the committee — Mark McArdle and Marty Hunt — were scathing of the recommendation for a conscience vote, arguing they believed the committee could not make that suggestion, describing it as "overreach".

"It must be clearly stated that the right to a conscience vote rests with individual parties," they wrote in a dissenting report.

"In the bill before the house there is no reference to 'conscience vote' either directly or indirectly.

"There seems to be some wild belief that members would not know what a conscience vote was nor understand its implications. That is a ridiculous notion."

Mr McArdle and Mr Hunt said MPs could inform themselves of the meaning by "going to the Oxford dictionary, looking up the words 'conscience' and 'vote' and putting the meanings together", or they could "Google 'conscience vote'", speak to other MPs or obtain a brief from the parliamentary library.

They also questioned why abortion should be removed from the Criminal Code when the current law allowed terminations in certain circumstances, whether the gestation limit of 22 weeks was appropriate, and the lack of counselling provisions.

Greens committee member Michael Berkman said a significant amount of misinformation was presented in opposition to the reforms.

"The Greens strongly support the bill as a vital step to make sure abortion is safe, legal and free," he said.

The committee's report was welcomed by pro-choice group Children by Choice but denounced by pro-life group Cherish Life.

Health Minister Steven Miles called on LNP leader Deb Frecklington to allow her MPs a conscience vote.

“Deb Frecklington said she was waiting for the committee report. Here it is,” he said.

“It’s time for Deb Frecklington to take the advice of the committee and allow her MPs a conscience vote.”

The current bill is the third to be introduced since 2016, with independent MP Rob Pyne withdrawing his private member's bills last year before they could be debated after it became apparent they would fail to be passed.

Queensland and New South Wales are the only Australian states in which abortion remains in the Criminal Code.