§ Mr. Edwin Brooksasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated cost to the National Health Service of the total number of legal abortions carried out in England and Wales since the date of implementation of the Abortion Act, 1967.
§ Mr. EnnalsNo separate costing figures are produced in respect of the treatment of different medical and surgical conditions, and I regret therefore that this information is not available.
§ Mr. Edwin Brooksasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of legal abortions carried out under the National Health Service in 1968; what proportion of these involved 173W unmarried women; and what proportion of such unmarried women were under 18 years of age at the time of the operation.
§ Mr. Ennals14,564 (provisional) in National Health Service Hospitals. The other figures requested are available only up to 30th September, and are—provisionally—41 per cent. unmarried (including widowed, divorced and separated) women, of whom 19 per cent. were under 18.