HC Deb 13 November 1987 vol 122 cc354-6W
Mr. Nicholas Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what statistics on the annual number of abortions performed in (a) the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and (b) each week from the 12th to 28th week of pregnancy are collected by or on behalf of his Department.

Mr. Newton

The total numbers of notifications of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967 by gestation are given in the table. Statistics on the number of abortions by increments of gestation and by age, category of premises, marital status, type of operation, planned day care, statutory grounds, duration of stay, non-residents, parity, complications, place of residence, and previous abortions under the Act are published in "Abortion Statistics 1986", a copy of which is in the Library.

Number of notifications of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967 by gestation in completed weeks, residents and non-residents
England and Wales 1986
Gestation (completed weeks) Number of Abortions
0–11 129,327
12 15,530
13 5,141
14 5,151
15 2,752
16 3,609
17 2,494
18 2,611
19 2,553
20 1,389
21 753
22 876
23 880
24 185
25 11
26 14
27 and over 4
Unknown 6
Total 172,286

Mr. Allan Roberts

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail the number of terminations carried out by the Sefton area health authority for the years 1980 until its abolition in 1982 and for the relevant successor authorities for the years 1982 to 1987; if he will list the number of non-National Health Service terminations by the same authorities for the same periods ; and if he will provide the same information for the 98 area health authorities in England and Wales for the period 1980 to 1982 and for the relevant successor authorities for the period 1982 to 1987.

Mr. Newton

Statistics on the numbers of abortions carried out by district health authorities (DHA) are not released. The number of abortions performed in Wales and in each regional health authority in England by category of premises for United Kingdom residents are given in table 20 of the volumes "Abortion Statistics" 1980–1986, copies of which are in the Library. Statistics of the number of abortions to usual residents of DHAs by category of premises are shown in table 24 of the same volumes, and for the Sefton area in the table.

Number of notifications of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967 to women usually resident in the Sefton area by category of premises—1980–1986
Year Category of premises
Total Non-NHS
19801 625 507
19811 604 466
19821 632 325
19832 692 358
19842 746 441
19852 732 424
19862 815 467
1 Northern (Merseyside Sefton) and Southern (Merseyside Sefton) Health Districts
2 Southport and Formby, and South Sefton District Health Authorities

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