§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations his Department has received on the impact of the advice from the Committee on Safety of Medicines relating to third generation oral contraceptives on the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions which have occurred since last October and which are forecast for the future; and if he will make a statement; [25610]
(2) what assessments his Department has made of the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions which have occurred since last October and which are forecast for the future, following the advice from the Committee on Safety of Medicines relating to third generation oral contraceptives; and if he will make a statement; [25611]
(3) what estimates his Department has (a) made and (b) evaluated of the financial cost of the unplanned pregnancies and abortions which have occurred since last October and which are forecast for the future, following the advice from the Committee on Safety of Medicines relating to third generation oral contraceptives; and if he will make a statement. [25612]
§ Mr. MaloneOfficial figures on any increase in the number of abortions and unplanned pregnancies since October 1995 are not yet available. It is not possible to estimate the financial costs that might be involved or the impact that the findings of the recent epidemiological studies on the safety of third generation oral contraceptives have had on the number of pregnancies and abortions.
641WThe Department has received representations on this subject from a number of sources, including correspondence from doctors and other health professionals, and a report from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service on the findings of its recent survey.