§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research has been conducted into the cost of the morning-after pill and its 85W affordability in (a) disadvantaged areas and (b) areas where the incidence of teenage pregnancy is higher than average. [134642]
§ Margaret Hodge[holding answer 6 November 2003]Research into the affordability of emergency contraception is unnecessary because it is available free to all women from a number of services including General Practice, community family planning clinics, youth advisory clinics and community pharmacists working to Patient Group Direction's under NHS arrangements. All areas are looking at improving the accessibility of free emergency contraception particularly those where the incidence of teenage pregnancy is higher than average. In addition, women age 16 plus can buy emergency contraception as a pharmacy product. The price of emergency contraception is set by the manufacturer.
§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his policy is on the over the counter provision of the morning-after pill free of charge, in areas where levels of teenage pregnancy are higher than average, to young people who have not received prior counselling on birth control. [134643]
§ Margaret Hodge[holding answer 6 November 2003]There are three routes for the supply of emergency contraception: on prescription through a medical practitioner, as a prescription only medicine under a patient group direction (PGD) or as a pharmacy product.
Emergency contraception is only provided to young people under 16 under medical supervision. This includes the supply by other health professionals, such as school nurses and community pharmacists, working to PGDs. A Patient Group Direction is a written instruction for the supply or administration of medicines to groups of patients without an individualised doctor's prescription.
All health professionals providing emergency contraception are trained to ensure that young women are informed about and encouraged to visit local services that provide regular forms of contraception and condoms to protect against sexually transmitted infections.
Services aimed at improving early access to emergency contraception should be seen in the context of a much wider programme of the Government's Teenage Pregnancy and Sexual Health and HIV Strategies. This includes helping young people to resist pressure to have early sex through improved sex and relationship education, improving knowledge of risks of unprotected sex, increasing early uptake of contraceptive and sexual health advice by sexually active young people and involving parents and the wider community.