§ Dr. Stuttafordasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what studies are being carried out to determine the size of family desired by married couples in England and Wales; and when he will be in a position to issue a statement.
§ Sir K. JosephA study of Family Intentions carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys will be published on 17th November next. A follow-up study of married women who participated in the Family Intentions Survey is in course of preparation.
§ Dr. Stuttafordasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the actual spending by each local authority in England on running their own contraceptive clinics under the National Health Service (Family Planning) Act 1967 in 1969–70; what is their estimated spending for 1970–71; and what percentage this represents of the total budget of each local authority;
(2) how many local authorities to date are taking up the extra provision for family planning in the rate support grant.
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§ Sir K. JosephI regret the information is not at present available. The provision made in the rate support grant settlement of 1970 was for a trebling of local government expenditure on family planning between 1970–71 and 1972–73 and I am about to ask each local authority for information about their actual and planned expenditure in this period. The rate of growth will vary from authority to authority, but overall I hope that the trebling will be achieved.
§ Dr. Stuttafordasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many vasectomies were carried out within the National Health Service in hospitals in 1968, 1969 and 1970; and what plans he has to extend this service.
§ Sir K. JosephEstimates derived from the Hospital In-patient Inquiry, which is based on a 10 per cent. sample of in- patients, are 1,300 in 1968 and 2,000 in 1969. Information for 1970 will not be available until early next year. Information on vasectomies performed on outpatients is not available. I have no plans at present to extend this service but I am awaiting the results of two surveys into the availability of family planning services before reviewing relevant policies.
§ Dr. Stuttafordasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which of the local authorities which run their own family planning clinics without help from the Family Planning Association, or other voluntary body, restrict their family planning provision to married women only.
§ Sir K. JosephAs at 31st March, 1971, none reported such a restriction.
§ Dr. Stuttafordasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which local authorities in England run a domiciliary family planning service; and how many women were seen at home by each local authority in 1969-70 and in 1970-October, 1971.
§ Sir K. JosephAs regards the local authorities running domiciliary services, I cannot at present add to my hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Mrs. Doris Fisher) on 11th June, 1971. Information about patients seen was obtained from 37 authorities for the period 1st76W July, 1969, to 30th June, 1970. Eleven authorities reported more than 100 women looked after during those 12 months, eight between 50 and 100, and 18 under 50. I believe that considerable progress has been made since then.—[Vol. 818, c. 381.]