§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, assuming a continuation of the current rate at which abortion is performed, he will give an estimate of the total number of abortions which will have been performed under the Abortion Act 1967 by the 20th anniversary of the implementation of that Act.
§ Mr. NewtonThe total number of notifications of abortions to resident and non-resident women, which will have been carried out under the Abortion Act 1967, from 27 April 1968 to 31 March 1988 in England and Wales; is estimated at 2,648,000, assuming a continuation of the current rate at which abortions are performed. This estimate does not take into account any seasonal variation, nor other changes which may affect the numbers of notifications.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give a breakdown by district health authority of the average number of abortions performed in that district on each working day of the latest year for which figures are available, in(a) National Health Service hospitals, (b) private clinics and (c) in total.
§ Mr. NewtonNo, for reasons of maintaining confidentiality.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total number of abortions under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967; how many of these abortions were performed in emergency to save the life of the mother; and what is the latter figure expressed as a percentage of the former.
§ Mr. NewtonThe information is shown in the table, including all notifications received by 30 September 1987.
175W
Total number of notifications of abortions performed under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967, and the number performed under Ground 5 of the Act, England and Wales, residents and non-residents Number Total (a) 2,761,637 Ground 5 (b) 126 Percentage (b) of (a) 0.005 Ground 5 of the 1967 Abortion Act states that abortions may be performed in emergency to save the life of the pregnant woman.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total number of abortions performed at 18 weeks or more gestation under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967, since the passage of the Act; how many of these abortions were performed in emergency to save the life of the mother; and what is the latter figure expressed as a percentage of the former.
§ Mr. NewtonI regret that the full information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, statistics already available are as follows: Between 1
Table A Number of notifications of abortions performed by area of usual residence, and number of mentions of ground 51, Regional Health Authorities, England and Wales 1974–86 Area of usual residence (a) total (b) mention of ground5 Per cent. age (b) of (a) Northern 71,952 4 0.006 Yorkshire 92,749 4 0.004 Trent 119,990 7 0.006 East Anglian 47,996 2 0.004 North West Thames 183,077 4 0.002 North East Thames 181,097 4 0.002 South East Thames 138,139 2 0.001 South West Thames 105,935 3 0.003 Wessex 69,944 4 0.006 Oxford 69,087 3 0.004 South Western 78,973 3 0.004 West Midlands 172,779 5 0.003 Mersey 70,899 4 0.006 North Western 113,030 2 0.002 Wales 75,617 3 0.004 1 Ground 5 of the 1967 Abortion Act permits abortions to be performed "in emergency in order to save the life of the pregnant woman."
Table B Number of notifications of abortions performed by area of usual residence, and number of mentions of Ground 5, Hospital regions, England and Wales 1968–731 Area (a) Total (b) Ground 5 percentage (b) of (a) Newcastle 24,694 2 0.008 Leeds 21,377 7 0.033 Sheffield 31,880 3 0.009 East Anglian 14,010 4 0.029 North West Metropolitan 71,835 4 0.006 North East Metropolitan 34,857 5 0.014 South East Metropolitan 37,560 8 0.021 South West Metropolitan 49,272 3 0.006 Wessex 14,705 4 0.027 Oxford 16,962 1 0.006 South Western 25,963 2 0.008 Birmingham 46,708 7 0.015 Manchester 34,289 10 0.029 Liverpool 15,201 1 0.007 Wales 22,513 2 0.009 Note: Ground 5 of the 1967 Abortion Act permits abortions to be performed "in emergency in order to save the life of the pregnant woman." 1 1968—27 April to 31 December only (after the Act came into force).
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give a breakdown, by regional176W January 1981 and 30 June 1987, 53,682 notifications were received of abortions performed at 18 weeks or more gestation. Of these, 15 (0.028 per cent.) were carried out in emergency in order to save the life of the pregnant woman.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give a breakdown, by regional health authority in England and Wales, of the total number of abortions so far performed under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967, stating in each case how many of the abortions in each region were performed in emergency to save the life of the mother; and if in each case he will express the latter figure as a percentage of the former.
§ Mr. NewtonThe information is shown in the tables. The pre-1974 hospital regions are not, with the exception of Wales and Birmingham (which became West Midlands), precisely the same geographical areas as the post-1974 regional health authorities. The data for the two groups of areas are thus presented separately.
health authority, using his estimate of the cost of an abortion in the answer of 26 October 1987, Official Report, 177W column 178, of the total cost to the National Health Service of all the abortions performed in that region both in National Health Service facilities and through agency arrangements, under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967.
§ Mr. NewtonThe estimated total revenue cost of abortions performed in each regional health authority area in 1986, including abortions performed in NHS facilities and through agency arrangements, on the basis requested is as follows:
Regional Health Authority of Termination Estimated Total Cost £ Northern 911,370 Yorkshire 633,420 Trent 1,037,510 East Anglian 677,960 North West Thames 1,017,280 North East Thames 1,382,440 South East Thames 891,140 South West Thames 745,110 Wessex 599,250 Oxford 612,340 South Western 875,160 West Midlands 1,288,770 Mersey 521,560 North Western 754,120
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he will make it his policy
Persons (thousands) Health Authority Estimated resident population at mid year (a) Actual 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 South West Thames RHA 2,932 2,935 2,941 2,948 2,948 North West Thames RHA 3,468 3,463 3,455 3,454 3,454 Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton DHA 237 235 233 232 232 Hounslow and Spelthorne DHA 297 297 297 297 297 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 South West Thames RHA 2,946 2,948 2,954 2,962 2,965 North West Thames RHA 3,449 3,456 3,471 3,482 3,488 Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton DHA 229 229 229 230 230 Hounslow and Spelthorne DHA 296 292 289 286 284 (b) Projected (1985-based) 1991 1996 2001 South West Thames RHA 3,012 3,074 3,132 North West Thames RHA 3,541 3,600 3,644 Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton DHA 229 230 231 Hounslow and Spelthorne DHA 287 289 290