§ Lord Stoddart of Swindonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whom they consulted before they responded to the first annual report of the Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy. [HL5163]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy was established to provide advice to government and monitor the success of the national Teenage Pregnancy Strategy. The group includes a membership draw from a wide range of individuals and organisations with experience of working with young people and teenage parents. The first annual report of the group set out 49 recommendations to government on the further delivery of the national strategy. The government response addresses these recommendations to set out a forward action plan for the next phase of delivery.
In addition to the independent advisory group, the Teenage Pregnancy Unit has put in place arrangements to consult and involve the non-statutory sector, faith groups, relevant professional organisations, regional and local teenage pregnancy co-ordinators, young people and parents in tackling teenage pregnancy. The views of these organisations and individuals were taken into account in developing the government response.
§ Lord Stoddart of Swindonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the analysis of local audits of general practice referred to in paragraph 5.33 of their response to the first annual report of the Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy indicates a change of their policy in respect to the right of conscientious objection by general practitioners to taking part in abortion operations. [HL5166]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe Government's position on conscientious objection to abortion remains unchanged. Section 4 of the Abortion Act 1967, as amended, provides that, except where treatment is necessary to save the life of or prevent grave permanent injury to the pregnant woman, "no person shall be under any duty, whether by contract or by any statutory or other legal requirement, to participate in any treatment authorised by this Act to which he has a conscientious objection".
142WAThis exemption does not extend to giving advice, performing the preparatory steps to arrange an abortion where the request meets legal requirements and undertaking administration connected with abortion procedures. Doctors with a conscientious objection to abortion should make their views known to the patient and enable the patient to see another doctor without delay if that is the patient's wish.
The General Medical Council booklet Good Medical Practice states that general practitioners' views about a patient's lifestyle or beliefs must not prejudice the treatment they provide or arrange. If they feel their beliefs might affect the treatment, this must be explained to the patient, who should be told of their right to see another doctor. Breach of this guidance may expose a doctor to a charge of serious professional misconduct and disciplinary action by the GMC.
§ Lord Stoddart of Swindonasked Her Majesty's Government.
Whether information from the national analysis of local audit will also be used to collate national and regional information on the proportion of general practitioners who have a conscientious objection to abortion or who have a practice policy not to provide contraception to under 16s. [HL5167]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathAn analysis of the general practice audits which have been returned to the Teenage Pregnancy Unit will provide an indication of the proportion of general practitioners, nationally and regionally, who have a conscientious objection to abortion or who have a practice policy not to provide contraception to under 16s.
Information on the analysis will be available on the Teenage Pregnancy Unit website by the end of the year.