§ Mr. Brooksasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many men and women, respectively, have been sterilised in Great Britain in 1966, 1967 and 1968; what proportion of these women was sterilised under the National Health Service; and on what grounds.
§ Mr. CrossmanEstimated numbers for National Health Service hospitals only, based on a 10 per cent. sample of inpatient records, were as follows:
England and Wales (1966) Males … … … 110 Females … … … 7,650 Scotland (1967) Males … … … 62 Females … … … 1,509 These figures exclude operations in which sterilisation was not the underlying purpose. Information is not available for the other years requested, nor of the grounds for these operations, nor for operations performed outside the National Health Service.
§ Mr. Brooksasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women were sterilised following operations for termination of pregnancy under the National Health Service in 1968 and during the first nine months of 1969.
§ Mr. CrossmanThe only figures at present available are those notified under the Abortion Act, 1967.
The numbers notified in National Health Service hospitals during the period 27th April, 1968 to 30th June, 1969, were 9,491 in England and Wales and 1,054 in Scotland.
Later figures are not yet available.
§ Mr. Brooksasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will introduce legislation to clarify the legal risks borne by doctors who sterilise men or women on either medical or non-medical grounds.
§ Mr. CrossmanNo such legislation is contemplated. Doctors who are in any doubt about the legality of sterilisation in any particular case would doubtless consult their professional defence organisations.