HC Deb 26 May 1993 vol 225 c576W
Mr. Burden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to ensure a free choice of family planning services on the NHS.

Mr. Sackville

National health service family planning is a self-referral service and people who wish to use it are free to choose their source of advice—their own general practitioner, another general practitioner if he or she is willing, or a family planning clinic. The Government's aim, as stated in the White Paper "The Health of the Nation" is that by 1994–95 the full range of NHS family planning services, however provided, should be appropriate, accessible and comprehensive.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research has been undertaken by her Department upon the effect of the inclusion of contraceptives on the selected list scheme upon levels of unplanned pregnancies in the United Kingdom;

(2) what assessment she has made of the effects of the extension of the selected list scheme in respect of contraceptives on her Department's target in respect of teenage pregnancies.

Dr. Mawhinney

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Pickthall) on 18 January at col.97.

Mr. Burden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations she has received in opposition to the extension of the selected list scheme to contraceptives.

Dr. Mawhinney

Approximately 420.