§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many individuals underwent sex change treatment in the last year for which figures are available; and how many of these individuals received that treatment under the National Health Service;
(2) what is the total number of patients who have so far received either sex change hormonal treatment or surgery under the National Health Service;
(3) how many courses of sex change treatment were commenced in the latest year for which figures are available by (i) men, (ii) women and (iii) other categories; if he will indicate how many of these commenced courses of treatment which ended up in (a) males remaining male, (b) males becoming female, (c) females remaining female, (d) females becoming male and (e) other outcomes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. CurrieI regret that this information is not held centrally.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will give a breakdown by region of the numbers of sex change operations performed annually;
(2) if he will estimate the total cost to the National Health Service of sex change treatment and operations.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe numbers involved are so small that no reliable estimate of the operations carried out can be made from normal statistical returns. It is, however, unlikely that the number of operations carried out in England exceed 100 a year.
A detailed breakdown of costs is not available, but, based on information from the gender reassignment service at Charing Cross hospital, it appears that the cost of the operations involved and associated treatment is 549W likely to be about £2,500. It is not possible to identify separately the costs for those patients receiving treatment who do not also have an operation.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what steps are taken by his Department to regulate sex change treatments;
(2) whether there is any restriction on the age of individuals who may undergo sex change treatments (a) under the National Health Service and (b) privately.
§ Mrs. CurrieTransexualism is a clinically recognised condition, for which in certain cases gender reassignment is the most appropriate form of treatment. It is for health authorities to decide the scale of resources allocated for this service and for doctors to decide on criteria for the acceptance of patients and on the treatment procedures in each individual case. The international Gender Dysphoria Association criteria recommend that, in the selection for operation, patients should be over 21 years and under 65 years of age.