§ Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what evidence he has of non-profit-making nursing homes paying their consultants exorbitant fees to carry out abortions.
§ Dr. VaughanIn the case of the two major charities which own nursing homes specialising in abortions, operating doctors are paid a sessional rate, not an individual fee. The sessional rate is a matter for the home but it is a condition of approval that the Department authorises 165W the level of fees charged to the patient, and no unreasonable fee is authorised. As regards nursing homes approved for, but not specialising in, abortions—that is, those where the approved beds are fewer than six or fewer than 25 per cent. of the total—the Department does not seek to control the level of fees paid or charged, whether or not the nursing home is profit making.
§ Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases are known to his Department where aborted foetuses of 20 weeks have been revived and are still alive.
§ Dr. VaughanNone.