§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of abortions in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham were funded by the NHS in the last three years for which figures are available. [60346]
§ Ms HewittThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Tim Holt to Ms Harriet Harman, dated 19 November 1998:
As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on NHS-funded abortions.The ONS routinely publishes abortion statistics by regions and health authorities (HA). The following table shows the percentage of abortions funded by the NHS for residents of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham HA.
Percentage of abortions funded by the NHS for residents of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham HA, 1995–97 Year Percentage 1995 70 1996 68 19971 64 1 Provisional Figures for 1995 and 1996 are published in the ONS Annual Reference Volumes: Abortion statistics series AB nos. 22, 23. Provisional figures for 1997 were published in the ONS Monitor Series AB 98/4 Legal abortions 1997: residents of regions and health authorities on 26 June 1998. These are available in the House of Commons library.