HC Deb 06 May 1971 vol 816 cc446-7W
Mr. Thomas Cox

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures of the number of legal abortions that have taken place in the United Kingdom for each of the years since the passing of the Abortion Act.

Mr. Alison

The Abortion Act does not apply to Northern Ireland. The numbers of legal abortions induced in Great Britain were as follows:

England and Wales Scotland
1968 (27th April-31st December) … 23,641 1,537
1969 … 54,819 3,544
1970 (provisional) … 86,565 5,201

Mr. Thomas Cox

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest available figures of the number of legal abortions that have taken place in the Greater London area, for each of the years, since the passing of the Abortion Act.

Mr. Alison

Figures are available only for legal abortions induced in 1968 and 1969 on women who were resident in the Greater London area. These were 8,086 in 1968 (27th April-31st December) and 15,684 in 1969.

Mr. Thomas Cox

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of women from overseas countries who have had legal abortions in this country since the passing of the Abortion Act.

Mr. Alison

The numbers of legally induced abortions in England and Wales to women from outside the United Kingdom were as follows:

1968 (27th April-31st December) 1,194
1969 4,700
1970 (provisional) 9,680