§ 2.45 p.m.
§ BARONESS BIRKMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the fact that they have accepted the broad conclusion of the Ross Population Panel that the economic prospects for Britain will be better with a smaller rather than a larger population, they will give urgent consideration to launching a family planning publicity campaign to offset the probable effect on the birthrate of The emergency regulations restricting heating in the home, and the shut-down of television programmes at 10.30 p.m.
§ LORD ABERDAREMy Lords, the Health Education Council will launch a campaign next month, not for the reasons advanced by the noble Baroness, but as a prelude to the provision of family planning within the National Health Service.
§ BARONESS BIRKMy Lords, while thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask him whether he will give some indication of the amount of money to be spent by the Health Education Council? May I also ask him whether he is aware that organisations such as the Health Education Council, the Family Planning Association, the Brook Advisory Centres and the Birth Control Campaign are concerned about the possible effects of this emergency on the birth rate on abortions and on unwanted pregnancies? Further, will the Minister accept that although I have related the Question to the emergency there is a tremendous need for a continuous and on-going programme of propaganda and education, especially in view of the fact that starting in April of this year the Government are to spend £23 million on integrating contraception into the National Health Service? Can be give some figures on what the Government intend to spend?
§ LORD ABERDAREMy Lords, I cannot give the exact figure which the Health Education Council will devote to this programme. But I can agree with the noble Baroness that it is very important that we should continue with the 833 programme of drawing the family planning services to the notice of the public. The campaign itself will consist of advertisements in national newspapers and in women's and men's magazines. It will not be on television, but a new booklet on contraception is being produced for wide general use and a short film is to be made for cinema advertising later in the year.
§ LORD DERWENTMy Lords, with reference to the Question on the Order Paper, can my noble friend say why having the television on should prevent love-making?
§ LORD ABERDARENo, my Lords.
LORD SHIN WELLMy Lords, instead of the Government's coming to a definite conclusion about this matter and its relationship to television being suspended at half-past ten at night, would it not be better to wait until the normal period of gestation has expired and come to a decision nine months hence?
§ LORD ABERDAREMy Lords, a certain amount of research was done on this matter in the case of a black-out in New York. The conclusion was that it had no effect on the birth pattern.
§ BARONESS BIRKMy Lords, will the Minister agree that as the black-out in New York was for only one night and was only one casual occasion, it is not relevant to the present situation? Although we all hope that the emergency will soon come to an end, will be agree that the propaganda should continue?
§ LORD ABERDAREMy Lords, where family planning is concerned one night is very important.
§ LORD PLATTMy Lords, may I very respectfully ask the Minister whether he is quite certain about his statement, because I thought—indeed I read—that the black-out in New York had a quite striking and interesting effect.
§ LORD ABERDAREMy Lords, I am quoting from some research done by Mr. J. Richard Udry which was published in Demography in August, 1970, and he concluded that there was no increase in births associated with the black-out. If the noble Lord is interested, I will let him see a copy of the paper.