§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many abortions have been notified as having been carried out under the Abortion Act in the fourth full year of operation of the Act from 27th April, 1971, and in the three months from 27th April, 1972, respectively;
- (2) what has been the annual percentage increase in the number of abortions notified during the first four years of the Abortion Act's operation;
- (3) how many abortions have been notified as being carried out, and what percentage of the total abortions notified the figures represent, during each of the first four 12-month periods of the operation of the Abortion Act and in the three months from 27th April, 1972, on the ground that continuation of the pregnancy would endanger the life of the pregnant woman, and that continuation would involve risk to the physical or mental health of the woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, respectively;
- (4) how many abortions have been notified as being carried out, and what
12 percentage of the total abortions notified the figures represent, during each of the first four 12-month periods of the operation of the Abortion Act and in the three months from 27th April, 1972, on the ground that continuation of the pregnancy would involve injury to the physical or mental health of any existing children of the pregnant woman's family greater than if the pregnancy were terminated; - (5) how many abortions have been notified as being carried out, and what percentage of the total abortions notified the figures represent, during each of the first four 12-month periods of the operation of the Abortion Act and in the three months from 27th April, 1972, on the ground that there exists a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped;
- (6) how many emergency operations were notified as having been carried out in each of the four 12-month periods since the Abortion Act came into operation on 27th April, 1968, and in the three months from 27th April, 1972, on the grounds of saving life and safeguarding health, respectively;
- (7) how many abortions have been notified as having been carried out, and what percentage of the total abortions notified these represent, in each of the four 12-month periods since the Act came into operation on 27th April, 1968, and in the three months from 27th April, 1972, on single women, married women, widows, divorced or separated women, and women who already had borne children, respectively;
- (8) how many abortions were notified as having been carried out during each of the four 12-month periods since the Abortion Act came into operation, and in the three months from 27th April, 1972, on women of 12 and under, between the ages of 12 and 16, between the ages of 16 and 18, between the ages of 18 and 21, and over 21, respectively; and what percentages of the total abortions notified during each of these periods these figures represent;
- (9) what is the present rate of legal abortions per 100 live births, and in each of the years in which the Act has been
13 in operation, commencing with 27th April, 1968, respectively. 14W
ABORTION ACT 1967—ENGLAND AND WALES April, 1968–March, 1969 April, 1969–March, 1970 April, 1970–March, 1971 April, 1971–March, 1972 April, 1972–June, 1972 Abortions notified … … 33,598 60,558 88,915 141,132 39,190 Rate per 100 live births … … 4.1 7.7 11.2 18.4 Not available Percentage increase of notified abortions over previous year … — 80.2 46.8 58.7 — Numbers and percentages of abortions notified, according to grounds— (1, 2) Risk to life of woman, or risk of injury to physical or mental health of woman— Number … … … … 25,835 46 234 70,279 110,589 30,778 Per cent. … … … … 76.9 76.3 79.0 78.3 78.5 (3) Risk of injury to physical or mental health of existing children— Number … … … … 1,355 2,509 3,681 4,309 1,144 Per cent. … … … … 4.0 4.1 4.1 3.1 2.9 (4) Substantial risk of physical or mental abnormality in unborn child— Number … … … … 1,038 1 175 1,247 1,396 342 Per cent. … … … … 3.1 1.9 1.4 1.0 0.9 (5, 6) Emergency operations on ground of risk to life of woman, or risk of injury to her physical or mental health— Number … … … … 74 36 44 24 3 Grounds 2 with 4 (not included above)— Number … … … … 564 827 934 1,162 308 Per cent. … … … … 1.7 1.4 1.1 0.8 0.8 Grounds 3 with others (not included above)— Number … … … … 4,732 9,777 12,730 23,652 6,615 Per cent. … … … … 14.1 16.1 14.3 16.8 16.9 Numbers and percentages of abortions notified which were performed on— Single Women— … … Number … … … … 15,992 28,036 41,765 67,996 18,864 Per cent. … … … … 47.6 46.3 47.0 48.2 48.1 Married women— … … Number … … … … 14,739 26,944 39,382 61,620 17,055 Per cent … … … … 43.9 44.5 44.3 43.7 43.5 Widowed, divorced and separated women— Number … … … … 2,743 5,434 7,647 11,397 3,236 Per cent. … … … … 8.2 9.0 8.6 8.1 8.3 Women who had a previous live or still-birth, or a miscarriage (including not stated cases)— Number … … … … 17,547 33,783 48,378 53,661* Not available Per cent. … … … … 52.2 55.8 54.4 51.6* Not available
§ Mr. AlisonFollowing is the information available: 15W
ABORTION ACT 1967—ENGLAND AND WALES April, 1968–March, 1969 April, 1969–March, 1970 April, 1970–March, 1971 April, 1971–March, 1972 April, 1972–June, 1972 Numbers and percentages of abortions notified which were performed on women aged— Under 16 years— Number … … … … 770 1,339 1,915 2,933 678 Per cent. … … … … 2.3 2.2 2.2 2.1 1.7 16–19 years— Number … … … … 5,019 10,225 15,620 25,431 6,867 Per cent. … … … … 14.9 16.9 17.6 18.0 17.5 20+ years— Number … … … … 27,001 47,642 69,525 110,425 31,096 Per cent. … … … … 80.4 78.7 78.2 78.2 79.4 Not stated— Number … … … … 808 1,352 1,855 2,343 549 Per cent. … … … … 2.4 2.2 2.1 1.7 1.4 *April-December, 1971 only.
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services at the present rate of increase in the number of abortions notified, what are the projected figures for each year of the total number of abortions to 1980.
§ Mr. AlisonThe varying rates of change in the numbers of abortions during the first four years of operation of the Act do not provide a basis on which significant projections can be made.
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimate of the annual number of illegal abortions carried out in each of the years since the Abortion Act came into operation.
§ Mr. AlisonI regret that this information is not available.
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many deaths have resulted from legal abortions in each of the four 12-month periods since
16W
DEATHS FROM MATERNAL CAUSES, AND DEATH RATES PER 1,000 TOTAL BIRTHS, IN ENGLAND AND WALES April, 1968 to March, 1969 April, 1969 to March, 1970 April, 1970 to March, 1971 April, 1971 to December, 1971 Deaths and death rates attributed to: 1 Legal abortions (ICD 640, 641): Deaths … … … … 4 11 11 9 Rates … … … … 0.005 0.014 0.014 0.015 Illegal abortions (ICD 642): Deaths … … … … 18 16 11 4 Rates … … … … 0.022 0.020 0.014 0.007 All maternal causes (ICD 630–678): Death rates … … … 0.233 0.194 0.187 0.160 the Abortion Act came into operation on 27th April, 1968; and what was the maternal mortality death rate in these periods from all causes, legal abortions, and illegal abortions, respectively;
- (2) how many deaths have resulted from illegal abortions in each of the four 12-month periods since the Abortion Act came into operation on 27th April, 1968;
- (3) how many abortions were notified as having been carried out on women whose normal place of residence was given as abroad during each of the four 12-month periods since the Act came into operation on 27th April, 1968, and in the three months from 27th April, 1972; and what were the countries of residence of the women involved;
- (4) what has been the number of illegitimate births in each of the years 1950 to 1972; and what percentages they represent of the total birth rate.
§ Mr. AlisonFollowing is the information: 17W
NUMBERS OF ABORTIONS NOTIFIED IN EACH PERIOD WHICH WERE CARRIED OUT IN ENGLAND AND WALES ON WOMEN WHOSE USUAL ADDRESS WAS STATED TO BE OUTSIDE THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE CHANNEL ISLANDS, AND THE ISLE OF MAN April, 1968 to March, 1969 April, 1969 to March, 1970 April, 1970 to March, 1971 April, 1971 to December, 1971 Country of residence: Austria … … … … 11 11 30 148 Belgium … … … … 38 206 657 1,878 Canada … … … … 208 347 229 56 Denmark … … … … 4 46 81 210 France … … … … 112 624 2,725 10,668 West Germany … … … 964 1,744 3,902 12,242 Holland … … … … 66 199 950 558 Irish Republic … … … 91 129 292 492 Italy … … … … … 8 23 62 166 Norway, Sweden … … … 5 27 82 107 Spain … … … … … 11 27 55 174 Switzerland … … … … 18 54 121 357 United States of America … … 386 2,140 868 167 (Countries with fewer than 20 cases per year have been omitted).
ILLEGITIMATE LIVE BIRTHS AND RATESPER 1,000 TOTAL LIVE BIRTHS, ENGLAND AND WALES Year Number Rate 1950 35,250 51 1951 32,771 48 1952 32,549 48 1953 32,503 47 1954 31,609 47 1955 31,145 47 1956 33,534 48 1957 34,562 48 1958 36,174 49 1959 38,161 51 1960 42,707 54 1961 48,490 60 1962 55,376 66 1963 59,104 69 1964 63,340 72 1965 66,249 77 1966 67,056 79 1967 69,928 84 1968 69,806 85 1969 67,041 84 1970 64,744 83 1971 65,397 84 1972 Not available Not available
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how 18W many abortions were carried out and what percentages of total abortions notified these figures represent in each of the four 12-month periods since the Act came into operation on 27th April, 1968, and in the three months from April, 1972, in National Health Service hospitals, approved places and other places, respectively;
(2) how many abortions were carried out in each of the four 12-month periods since the Abortion Act came into operation on 27th April, 1968, and in the three-month period from 27th April, 1972, at National Health Service hospitals, approved places and other places, respectively; and what percentages of total abortions carried out in these periods these figures represent, in the North West Metropolitan, South East Metropolitan, South West Metropolitan, London Teaching Hospitals, North East Metropolitan, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham, Wales, South West, East Anglia, Sheffield, Leeds, Oxford, Wessex, and Liverpool regions, respectively.
§ Mr. AlisonAvailable figures are as follows: 19W
NUMBERS AND PERCENTAGES OF ABORTIONS NOTIFIED ACCORDING TO PLACE OF TERMINATION, IN ENGLAND AND WALES AND IN EACH HOSPITAL REGION APRIL, 1968—MARCH, 1969 Premises Newcastle Leeds Sheffield East Anglia North West Metropolitan North East Metropolitan South East Metropolitan South West Metropolitan Wessex NHS Hospital … … No. 1,832 846 962 869 1,930 1,398 1,537 1,159 588 % 98.8 97.0 96.4 85.8 13.2 99.7 79.3 98.7 95.4 Approved Place … … No. 23 26 36 127 12,681 4 398 14 — % 1.2 3.0 3.6 12.5 86.8 0.3 20.5 1.2 — Other place … … … No. — — — 17 — — 4 1 27 % — — — 1.7 — — 0.2 0.1 4.6 All premises … … … No. 1,855 872 998 1,013 14,611 1,402 1,939 1,174 585 % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 20W21W
Premises Oxford South Western Welsh Birmingham Manchester Liverpool London Teaching Hospitals Total, England and Wales NHS Hospital … … … No. 763 1,043 1,215 1,261 1,857 500 2,252 19,962 … … … % 96.6 87.7 100.0 94.2 98.6 100.0 100.0 59.4 Approved place … … … No. 6 146 — 72 27 — — 13,560 % 0.8 12.3 — 5.4 1.4 — — 40.4 Other place … … … … No. 21 — — 6 — — — 76 % 2.7 — — 0.4 — — — 0.2 Ail premises … … … … No. 790 1,189 1,215 1 339 1,864 500 2,252 33,598 % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
APRIL, 1969—MARCH, 1970 Premises Newcastle Leeds Sheffield East Anglia North West Metropolitan North East Metropolitan South East Metropolitan South West Metropolitan Wessex N.H.S. Hospital … … No. 3,016 1,641 2,164 1,283 3,529 2,531 2,971 1,900 988 % 99.0 96.7 94.3 86.9 15.1 99.7 74.5 99.4 92.7 Approved place … … No. 28 56 132 166 19,788 8 1,014 12 2 % 0.9 3.3 5.7 11.2 84.9 0.3 25.4 0.6 0.2 Other place … … … No. 3 — — 27 — — 1 — 76 % 0.1 — — 1.8 — — 0.0 — 7.1 All premises … … … No. 3,047 1,697 2,269 1,476 23,317 2,539 3,986 1,912 1,066 % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 22W23W
Premises Oxford South Western Welsh Birmingham Manchester Liverpool London Teaching Hospitals Total, England and Wales N.H.S. Hospital … … … No. 1,349 2,427 2,425 2,118 3,700 1,041 3,913 36,996 % 95.7 87.7 100.0 54.0 98.8 100.0 100.0 61.1 Approved place … … … No. 27 341 — 1,780 45 — — 23,399 % 1.9 12.3 — 45.4 1.2 — — 38.6 Other place … … … … No. 34 — — 22 — — — 163 % 2.4 — — 0.6 — — — 0.3 All premises … … … … No. 1,410 2,768 2,425 3,920 3,745 1,041 3,913 60,558 % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
APRIL, 1970—MARCH, 1971 Premises Newcastle Leeds Sheffield East Anglia North West Metropolitan North East Metropolitan South East Metropolitan South West Metropolitan Wessex N.H.S. Hospital … … No. 4,473 2,054 3,274 1,827 4,138 3,247 3,914 2,358 1,616 % 98.6 95.9 95.1 86.5 14.7 73.8 55.7 93.0 70.6 Approved place … … No. 50 87 168 246 23,941 1,152 3,114 178 561 % 1.1 4.1 4.9 11.6 85.3 26.2 44.3 7.0 24.5 Other place … … … No. 12 — — 39 — — 2 — 111 % 0.3 — — 1.8 — — 0.0 — 4.9 All premises … … … No. 4,535 2,141 3,442 2,112 28,079 4,399 7,030 2,536 2,288 % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 24W25W
Premises Oxford South Western Welsh Birmingham Manchester Liverpool London Teaching Hospitals Total, England and Wales N.H.S. Hospital … … … No. 1,879 3,115 3,258 2,467 4,271 1,511 4,836 48,238 % 93.7 82.8 100.0 19.5 98.1 100.0 100.0 54.3 Approved place … … … No. 79 647 — 10,136 81 — — 40,440 % 3.9 17.2 — 80.3 1.9 — — 45.5 Other place … … … … No. 48 — — 25 — — — 237 % 2.4 — — 0.2 — — — 0.3 All premises … … … … No. 2,006 3,762 3,258 12,628 4,352 1,511 4,836 88,915 % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
APRIL, 1971—MARCH, 1972 Premises Newcastle Leeds Sheffield East Anglia North West Metropolitan North East Metropolitan South East Metropolitan South West Metropolitan Wessex N.H.S. Hospital … … No. 4,883 2,328 4,146 2,528 4,777 3,550 4,678 2,223 1,920 % 99.3 95.6 93.9 84.2 10.0 28.8 35.4 27.3 49.5 Approved place … … No. — 108 268 411 43,008 8,773 8,513 5,924 1,849 % — 4.4 6.1 13.7 90.0 71.2 64.5 72.7 47.6 Other place … … … No. 32 — — 63 — — 7 — 114 % 0.7 — — 2.1 — — 0.1 — 2.9 All premises … … … No. 4,915 2,436 4,414 3,002 47,785 12,323 13,198 8,147 3,883 % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 26W27W
Premises Oxford South Western Welsh Birmingham Manchester Liverpool London Teaching Hospitals Total, England and Wales N.H.S. Hospital … … … No. 2,170 3,887 3,826 2,523 5,296 1,969 5,538 56,242 % 91.0 78.1 100.0 16.5 97.6 55.5 100.0 39.9 Approved place … … … No. 149 1,092 — 12,782 129 1,581 — 84,587 % 6.2 21.9 — 83.4 2.4 44.5 — 59.9 Other place … … … … No. 67 2 — 18 — — — 303 % 2.8 0.0 — 0.1 — — — 0.2 All premises … … … … No. 2,386 4,981 3,826 15,323 5,425 3,550 5,538 141,132 % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
APRIL, 1972—MARCH, 1972 Premises Newcastle Leeds Sheffield East Anglia North West Metropolitan North East Metropolitan South East Metropolitan South West Metropolitan Wessex N.H.S. Hospital … … No. 1,282 549 932 537 1,230 1,031 1,174 570 415 % 98.9 95.6 89.4 87.1 9.6 24.4 24.0 24.5 24.3 Approved place … … No. — 25 111 57 11,526 3,188 3,719 1,760 1,258 % — 4.4 10.6 9.2 90.4 75.6 76.0 75.5 73.6 Other place … … … No. 14 — — 23 — — 1 — 36 % 1.1 — — 3.7 — — 0.0 — 2.1 All premises … … … No. 1,296 574 1,043 617 12,756 4,219 4,894 2,330 1,709 % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 28W29W
Premises Oxford South Western Welsh Birmingham Manchester Liverpool London Teaching Hospitals Total, England and Wales N.H.S. Hospital … … … No. 583 1,097 904 688 1,128 449 1,340 13,909 % 90.9 80.2 100.0 26.9 96.7 25.4 100.0 35.5 Approved place … … … No. 48 270 — 1,869 39 1,322 — 25,192 % 7.5 19.8 — 72.9 3.3 74.6 — 64.3 Other place … … … … No. 10 — — 5 — — — 89 % 1.6 — — 0.2 — — — 0.2 All premises … … … … No. 641 1,367 904 2,562 1,167 1,771 1,340 39,190 % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average time spent in hospital by National Health Service patients undergoing an abortion.
§ Mr. AlisonThe median duration of stay for patients undergoing abortions in National Health Service hospitals in England and Wales in 1971 was 3½ days.