HC Deb 22 September 1971 vol 823 cc1-9W
Mr. St. John-Stevas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many abortions have been notified as having been carried out under the Abortion Act in the first full year of operation of the Act from 27th April, 1968, in the second full year of operation of the Act from 27th April, 1969, in the third full year of operation of the Act from 27th April, 1970, and in the three months from 27th April, 1971, respectively;

(2) what has been the annual percentage increase in the number of abortions notified during the first three years of the Abortion Act's operations:

(3) how many abortions have been notified as being carried out, and what percentage of the total abortions notified the figures represent, during each of the first three 12-month periods of the operation of the Abortion Act and in the three months from 27th April, 1971, on the ground that continuation of the pregnancy would endanger the life of the pregnant woman, and that continuation would involve risk to the physical or mental health of the woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, respectively:

(4) how many abortions have been notified as being carried out, and what percentage of the total abortions notified the figures represent, during each of the first three 12-month periods of the operation of the Abortion Act and in the three months from 27th April, 1971, on the ground that continuation of the pregnancy would involve injury to the physical or mental health of any existing children of the pregnant woman's family greater than if the pregnancy were terminated;

(5) how many abortions have been notified as being carried out, and what

ABORTION ACT 1967—ENGLAND AND WALES
April, 1968—March, 1969 April, 1969—March, 1970 April, 1970—March, 1971 April, 1971—July, 1971
Abortions notified … … … … … 33,598 60,558 88,915 31,202
Rate per 100 live births … … … … … 4.1 7.7 11.2 15.6
Percentage increase of notified abortions over previous year … … … … … — 80.2 46.8 —

percentage of the total abortions notified the figures represent, during each of the first three 12-month periods of the operation of the Abortion Act and in the three months from 27th April, 1971, on the ground that there exists a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped;

(6) how many emergency operations were notified as having been carried out in each of the three 12-month periods since the Abortion Act came into operation on 27th April, 1968, and in the three months from 27th April, 1971, on the grounds of saving life and safeguarding health, respectively;

(7) how many abortions have been notified as having been carried out, and what percentage of the total abortions notified these represent, in each of the three 12-month periods since the Act came into operation on 27th April, 1968, and in the three months from 27th April, 1971, on single women, married women, widows, divorced or separated women, and women who already had borne children, respectively;

(8) how many abortions were notified as having been carried out during each of the three 12-month periods since the Abortion Act came into operation, and in the three months from 27th April, 1971, on women of 12 and under, between the ages of 12 and 16, between the ages of 16 and 18, between the ages of 18 and 21, and over 21, respectively; and what percentages of the total abortions notified during each of these periods these figures represent;

(9) what is the present rate of legal abortions per 100 live births, and in each of the years in which the Act has been in operation, commencing with 27th April, 1968, respectively.

Mr. Alison

Following is the information available:

April, 1968—March, 1969 April, 1969—March, 1970 April, 1970—March, 1971 April, 1971—July, 1971
Numbers and percentages of abortions notified, according to grounds—
(1, 2) Risk to life of woman, or risk of injury to physical or mental health of woman—
Number … … … … … … 25,835 46,234 70,279 24,801
Per cent. … … … … … … 76.9 76.3 79.0 79.5
(3) Risk of injury to physical or mental health of existing children—
Number … … … … … … 1,355 2,509 3,681 1,042
Per cent. … … … … … … 4.0 4.1 4.1 3.3
(4) Substantial risk of physical or mental abnormality in unborn child—
Number … … … … … … 1,038 1,175 1,247 399
Per cent. … … … … … … 3.1 1.9 1.4 1.3
(5, 6) Emergency operations on ground of risk to life of woman, or risk of injury to her physical or mental health—
Number … … … … … … 74 36 44 4
Grounds 2 and 4 (not included above)—
Number … … … … … … 564 827 934 297
Per cent. … … … … … … 1.7 1.4 1.1 1.0
Grounds 3 with others (not included above)—
Number … … … … … … 4,732 9,777 12,730 4,659
Per cent. … … … … … … 14.1 16.1 14.3 14.9
Numbers and percentages of abortions notified which were performed on—
Single women—
Number … … … … … … 15,992 28,036 41,765 15,017
Per cent. … … … … … … 47.6 46.3 47.0 48.1
Married women—
Number … … … … … … 14,739 26,944 39,382 13,632
Per cent. … … … … … … 43.9 44.5 44.3 43.7
Widowed, divorced and separated women—
Number … … … … … … 2,743 5,434 7,647 2,519
Per cent. … … … … … … 8.2 9.0 8.6 8.1
Women who had a previous live or stillbirth, or a miscarriage (including not stated cases)—
Number … … … … … … 17,547 33,783 35,892* Not available
Per cent. … … … … … … 52.2 55.8 54.3* Not available
Numbers and percentages of abortions notified which were performed on women aged—
Under 16 years—
Number … … … … … … 770 1,339 1,915 575
Per cent. … … … … … … 2.3 2.2 2.2 1.8
16–19 years—
Number … … … … … … 5,019 10,225 15,620 5,568
Per cent. … … … … … … 14.9 16.9 17.6 17.8
20+ years—
Number … … … … … … 27,001 47,642 69,525 24,501
Per cent … … … … … … 80.4 78.7 78.2 78.5
Not stated—
Number … … … … … … 808 1,352 1,855 558
Per cent. … … … … … … 2.4 2.2 2.1 1.8
* April-December, 1970 only.

Mr. St. John-Stevas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimate of the annual number of illegal abortions carried out in each of the years since the Abortion Act came into operation.

Mr. Alison

I regret that this information is not available.

Mr. St. John-Stevas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many deaths have resulted from legal abortions in each of the three 12-month periods since the Abortion Act came into operation on 27th April, 1968: and what was the maternal mortality death rate in these periods from all causes, legal abortions, and illegal abortions, respectively;

DEATHS FROM MATERNAL CAUSES, AND DEATH RATES PER 1,000 TOTAL BIRTHS, IN ENGLAND AND WALES
Deaths and death rates attributed to—
Legal abortions (I.C.D. (8) 640, 641)—
Deaths … … … … … … 4 11 8
Rates … … … … … … 0.005 0.014 0.014
Illegal abortions (I.CD. (8) 642)—
Deaths … … … … … … 18 16 9
Rates … … … … … … 0.022 0.020 0.015
All maternal causes (I.C.D. (8) 630–678)—
Death rates … … … … … … 0.233 0.194 0.189

Mr. St. John-Stevas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many abortions were notified as having been carried out on women whose normal place of residence was given as abroad during each of the three 12-month periods since the Act came into operation on 27th

NUMBERS OF ABORTIONS NOTIFIED IN EACH PERIOD WHICH WERE CARRIED OUT IN ENGLAND AND WALES ON WOMEN WHOSE USUAL ADDRESS WAS STATED TO BE OUTSIDE THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE CHANNEL ISLANDS, AND THE ISLE OF MAN
Country of residence 27th April, 1968—March, 1969 April, 1969—March, 1970 April, 1970—December, 1970
Belgium … … … 38 206 443
Canada … … … 208 347 223
Denmark … … … 4 46 63
France … … … 112 624 1,818
West Germany … … … 964 1,744 2,903
Holland … … … 66 199 666
Irish Republic … … … 91 129 210
Italy … … … 8 23 43
Norway, Sweden 5 27 52
Spain … … … 11 27 37
Switzerland … … … 18 54 92
U.S.A … … … 386 2,140 847
(Countries with fewer than 20 cases per year have been omitted.)

Mr. St. John-Stevas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of admissions of women under the emergency bed services in general and in connection with abortions, respectively, in the years 1960 to 1971, by year.

Mr. Alison

Information in this form is available only for the London area. According to the London Emergency Bed Service, whose records do not identify admissions in connection with abortions before July, 1964, the figures for London are as follows:

(2) how many deaths have resulted from illegal abortions in each of the three 12-month periods since the Abortion Act came into operation on 27th April, 1968.

Mr. Alison

The following table gives the available information:

April, 1968, and in the three months from 27th April, 1971: and what were the countries of residence of the women involved.

Mr. Alison

The following is the information available:

Total female admissions Female admissions in connection with abortions
1964 (July-December) 14,861 2,976
1965 31,081 5,731
1966 29,244 5,101
1967 27,879 4,364
1968 27,465 3,740
1969 28,462 3,327
1970 27,334 3,210
1971 (January-June) 12,366 1,510

Mr. St. John-Stevas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average time spent in hospital by National Health Service patients undergoing an abortion.

Mr. Alison

The median duration of stay for patients undergoing abortions in National Health Service hospitals in England and Wales in 1970 was 4½ days.

Mr. St. John-Stevas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many authorised places there are now for carrying out abortions; and if he will list their names and addresses.

Mr. Alison

There are at present 53 places approved by my right hon. Friend for the purposes of Section 1(3) of the Abortion Act, 1967, for treatment for the termination of pregnancy. Names and addresses of these nursing homes are as follows:

  1. 1. Florence Nightingale Hospital, 19 Lisson Grove, London, N.W.1.
  2. 2. Fitzroy Nuffield Nursing Home, 10–12 Bryanston Square, London, W.1.
  3. 3. Langham Street Clinic, 31–33–35 Langham Street, London, W.1.
  4. 4. The London Clinic, 20 Devonshire Place, London, W.1.
  5. 5. The Nursing Home, Twenty Seven Welbeck Street, London, W.1.
  6. 6. The Avenue Clinic, 12 Avenue Road, St. John's Wood, London, N.W.8.
  7. 7. Hampstead Nursing Home Ltd., 9 Hilltop Road, London, N.W.6.
  8. 8. St. Mary's Nursing Home, 46 Sunny Gardens Road, London, N.W.4.
  9. 9. Braeside Clinic, 76 Park Road, New Barnet, Herts.
  10. 10. Old Court Clinic, 19 Montpelier Road, Ealing, London, W.5.
  11. 11. Coniston House Nursing Home, 22 Corfton Road, Ealing, London, W.5.
  12. 12. Park View Clinic, 87 Mattock Lane, Ealing, London, W.5.
  13. 13. H.R.H. Princess Christian's Nursing Home, 12 Clarence Road, Windsor.
  14. 14. Slough Nuffield Nursing Home, Wexham Street, Slough.
  15. 15. Woking Nuffield Nursing Home, Shores Road, Woking.
  16. 16. New Victoria Hospital, 184 Coombe Lane West, Kingston-upon-Thames.
  17. 17. Royal Masonic Hospital, Ravenscourt Park, London, W.6.
  18. 18. Richmond Private Clinic & Nursing Home, 15 Rosslyn Road, East Twickenham, Middlesex.
  19. 19. The Whitehaven Nursing Home, 34 Wilbury Road, Hove, Sussex.
    20. 8
  20. 20. Dolygaer Nursing Home, 14 New Church Road, Hove.
  21. 21. Victoria House, Victoria Street, Rochester.
  22. 22. Tunbridge Wells Nuffield Nursing Home, Kingswood Road, Tunbridge Wells.
  23. 23. Hythe Nursing Home, 91 North Road, Hythe.
  24. 24. Folkestone Private Clinic, 19 Grimston Gardens, Folkestone.
  25. 25. The New Cross Nursing Home, 415 New Cross Road, London S.E.I4.
  26. 26. The Park Clinic, 14 Seagry Road, London, E.11.
  27. 27. Colchester Nursing Home, 15–25 Oaks Drive, Colchester.
  28. 28. Brentwood Nuffield Nursing Home, Shen-field Road, Brentwood, Essex.
  29. 29. St. Georges Nursing and Convalescent Home, Whitby Road, Milford-on-Sea, Hants.
  30. 30. Strathallan Nursing Home, Owls Road, Boscombe, Hants.
  31. 31. The Acland Home, Banbury Road, Oxford.
  32. 32. Lansdown Nursing Home, Lansdown Grove, Bath, Somerset.
  33. 33. Chesterfield Nursing Home, Clifton Hill, Bristol, 8.
  34. 34. Exeter Nuffield Nursing Home, Wonford Road, Exeter.
  35. 35. The Torbay Clinic, St. Lukes Road, South, Torquay.
  36. 36. The Imperial Nursing Home, Montpellier Parade, Cheltenham.
  37. 37. Evelyn Nursing Home, Trumpington Road, Cambridge.
  38. 38. Ipswich Surgical Home, 57 Fonnereau Road, Ipswich, Suffolk.
  39. 39. River Park Nursing Home, Blackdown, Leamington Spa.
  40. 40. Edgbaston Nursing Home, 22 Somerset Road, Birmingham, 15.
  41. 41. Calthorpe Nursing Home Ltd., 4 Arthur Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, 15.
  42. 42. Robert Nursing Home, 162 Station Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham, 30.
  43. 43. Salop Nuffield Nursing Home, Long-den Road, Shrewsbury.
  44. 44. Longcroft Nursing Home, Bradgate Road, Altrincham.
  45. 45. St. Wilfrid's Nursing Home, 51 Bawtry Road, Bessacarr, Doncaster.
  46. 46. The Leicester Clinic, Scraptoft Lane, Leicester.
  47. 47. Huddersfield Nuffield Nursing Home, Birkby Hall Road, Huddersfield.
  48. 48. Duchy House Nursing Home, Queen's Road, Harrogate.
  49. 49. Belvedere Nursing Home, Belvedere Road, Scarborough.
  50. 50. Hull Nuffield Nursing Home, West-bourne Avenue, Hull, Yorks.
    51. 9
  51. 51. Lynwood Nursing Home, 32 Parkfield Road, Liverpool.
  52. 52. Fairfield Nursing Home, 88 Russell Road, Buckhurst Hill, Essex.
  53. 53. Clifton Lane Nursing Home, Rotherham, Yorks.