HC Deb 12 November 1987 vol 122 cc285-6W
Mr. Leigh

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what steps have been taken by his Department to monitor the number of deaths abroad of overseas women upon whom abortions had recently been performed in England and Wales;

(2) what specific steps have been taken by his Department to monitor the number of emergency admissions for treatment abroad of overseas women upon whom abortions had recently been performed in England and Wales.

Mr. Newton

Non-resident abortion patients are provided with an information sheet and a discharge letter for their own doctor usually in their own language. In general, after-care is a matter for the doctors and medical institutions involved in any individual case.

Mr. Leigh

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give a breakdown by health authority of the numbers of abortions which have been performed upon non-resident women in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Mr. Newton

The information is shown in the table.

calculation of housing benefit when phase 2 of the Social Security Act 1986 becomes effective in April 1988; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Portillo

Yes. The statutory disregard is being increased by 25 per cent. from £4 to £5 when the revised housing benefit scheme is introduced in April 1988.