§ Mr. Robin F. Cookasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the recommendations of the various reports of the Select Committee on Abortion and the action taken on each by his Department.
§ Mr. MoyleThe Select Committee on Abortion has published two reports. The first report was published on 28th July (H.C. 573–I) and the Second Report on 16th December (HMSO 737).
As I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington (Mr. Silvester)—[Vol. 923, c. 456]— on 11th January and earlier in reply to the hon. Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Lomas)—Vol. 917, c. 290–1]—on 18th October 1976, the House will wish to consider these reports.
§ Mr. Robin F. Cookasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the recommendations of the Lane Committee on the Working of the Abortion Act and the action taken on each by his department.
§ Mr. MoyleA list of the 51 recommendations of the Lane Committee is on pages 186–189 of its report (Cmnd. 5579) published on 3rd April 1974. Not all the recommendations required action by my Department. Some were accepted ministerial policy at the time when the Lane Committee's report was published. For the others, I would refer my hon. Friend to announcements made by82W Health Ministers in the debate on the Second Reading of the Abortion (Amendment) Bill on 7th February 1975 [Vol. 885, c. 1755–1868]; in a statement to the House on 21st October 1975—Vol. 898, c. 244–54]; in the debate on the motion to re-establish the Select Committee on 9th February 1976—[Vol. 905, c. 100–164]; and in reply to my hon. Friend the member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Corbett) on 5th August 1976—[Vol. 916, c. 1024–5.] I propose to seek an opportunity of bringing the House up to date on all action taken by my Department in these matters.