§ Mr. Randallasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the effect of the working of the Abortion Act, 1967, on the services of hospitals in the Newcastle hospital region.
§ Mr. CrossmanAccording to the best estimates available to me the number of patients treated in hospital gynaecology departments in the Newcastle region in 1969 was over 3,000 more than in 1967. The increase in abortion operations was about 1,840. The relationship between gynaecological waiting lists and patients treated remained constant at less than 15 per cent., while the national figure on 31st December, 1968—the latest date332W for which these are available—showed that patients on waiting lists amounted to 18.8 per cent. Of patients treated. The effects of the Act have not, of course, been uniform throughout the region.