§ Ms. Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out the number of abortions performed in England and Wales to resident girls aged 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 years for each of the years from 1969 to 1982; and if he will also show the rate of abortions performed on these age groups per 1,000 girls.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe information requested is as follows:
Legal abortions: Numbers and rates per 1,000 population, girls aged 11–15, 1969–82 England and Wales residents
Age Numbers 11 12 13 14 15 1969 2 7 38 279 848 1970 3 20 85 391 1,233 1971 3 16 77 529 1,671 1972 — 7 98 586 2,113 1973 4 14 108 695 2,270 1974 1 9 117 718 2,490 1975 — 12 120 747 2,691 1976 6 14 122 73fc 2,545 1977 1 13 105 804 2,701 1978 3 20 113 708 2,454 1979 9 18 116 698 2,693 1980 5 17 141 770 2,717 1981 7 13 98 710 2,701 1982* — 15 138 778 2,921 Rates per 1,000 population 1969 0.01 0.02 0.12 0.89 2.63 1970 0.01 0.06 0.26 1.22 3.88 1971 0.01 0.05 0.22 1.57 5.12 1972 — 0.02 0.28 1.69 6.26 1973 0.01 0.04 0.30 1.96 6.50 1974 0.00 0.02 0.31 2.00 7.00 1975 — 0.03 0.31 2.00 7.50 1976 0.01 0.04 0.31 1.92 6.79 1977 0.00 0.03 0.26 2.05 7.03 1978 0.01 0.05 0.28 1.77 6.26 1979 0.02 0.05 0.30 1.74 6.71 1980 0.01 0.05 0.36 1.96 6.77 1981 0.02 0.03 0.26 1.81 6.76 1982* — 0.04 0.36 2.04 7.43 * Provisional.