§ Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of abortions carried out in public and private health clinics in the years prior to and immediately following the passing of the recent Abortion Act; what were the minimum and maximum charges approved by his regulations for individual abortions; and what were the number and nationalities of foreign women who underwent abortions during this period.
24W
§ Mr. RossThe information is not available prior to 27th April, 1968, the date on which the Abortion Act, 1967, came into operation. In the year ending 26th April, 1969, 2,408 abortion operations were carried out in National Health Service hospitals and 58 in approved places in Scotland. I have no powers to regulate the level of fees charged by private nursing homes or by doctors to private patients. The information required under the Abortion (Scotland) Regulations, 1968, does not include the nationality of the woman, but for abortion operations performed during this period four notifications showed the usual place of residence as outwith the United Kingdom as follows:
Operation performed in Country of Usual Residence N.H.S. Hospital Approved Place Canada 1 1 United States of America 1 0 West Germany 1 0 3 1