§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what numbers of therapeutic abortions occurred in National Health Service hopsitals in each of the years from 1967 to 1977 inclusive; and what was the average duration of stay in hospital for each of those years for National Health Service patients and non-National Health Service patients, respectively.
§ Mr. Moyle, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 19th April 1978], gave following information:
The numbers of legal abortions performed in National Health Service hospitals in England and Wales are given below with the estimated mean durations of stay in NHS hospitals of NHS patients The durations are calculated from spells of in-patient treatment for therapeutic abortion. This information is not available for non-NHS patients.
Legal abortions Mean duration of stay in days 1968 14,560* 7.8 1969 33,728 5.4 1970 47,678 6.0 1971 53,706 5.2 1972 57,086 4.3 1973 55,637 3.9 1974 56,320 3.5 1975 51,825† 3.4 1976 50,046† n/a 1977 52,198† n/a * From 27th April 1968. † Notification in 52 week periods ended 31st December 1975, 29th December 1976 and 28th December 1977. n/a—Not yet available.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the estimated total number of discharges from National Health Service hospitals after abortion in England for each year from 1967 to 1977 inclusive; what number was following therapeutic abortion; and what number following other categories of abortion.
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§ Mr. Moyle, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 19th April 1978], gave the following information:
The figures given are estimates based on the sample reported in the hospital in
ABORTIONS Medical indications Induced for other legal indications Other reasons Spontaneous Not specified Other Total ICD … … … 640 641 642 643 644 645 640–645 1967 … … … 9,700 69,900 79,590 1968 … … … 20,341 1,166 550 5,951 60,824 2,068 90,900 1969 … … … 36,783 1,306 713 8,009 56,469 2,169 105,449 1970 … … … 49,018 2,788 786 10,898 57,173 2,069 122,732 1971 … … … 50,648 9,047 1,185 9,556 51,644 2,624 124,704 1972 … … … 46,856 9,288 1,138 10,651 48,080 2,652 118,665 1973 … … … 47,849 9,908 552 11,936 45,364 3,005 118,614 1974 … … … 45,213 11,687 384 10,974 42,360 2,952 113,570 1975 … … … 39,608 10,677 1,113 12,288 39,716 2,842 106,244 Figures are not yet available for 1976 and 1977.