HC Deb 03 July 1978 vol 953 cc86-8W
Mr. Thompson

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the monthly totals of notifications of abortions carried out in Scotland during 1977 and 1978 for (a) residents and (b) non-residents of Scotland; and if he will indicate the numbers carried out under each of the grounds provided for by law.

Mr. Harry Ewing

Figures for 1978 are not yet available. Provisional figures for 1977 are as follows:

ABORTIONS NOTIFIED IN SCOTLAND IN 1977
(a)Persons Usually Resident in Scotland
Grounds/circumstances of termination January Feb. March April May June July August Sept. October Nov. Dec. Total
As in Note 1 … 2 3 4 2 4 2 1 3 4 3 3 1 32
As in Note 2 … 503 607 694 528 616 618 523 656 602 527 558 539 6,971
As in Note 3 … 17 15 13 16 14 15 11 14 14 14 14 9 166
As in Note 4 … 9 8 5 7 8 9 5 7 8 11 7 8 92
Immediate necessity (Note 5) … 1 — — 1 — — — — — — 1 1 4
Total … 532 633 716 554 642 644 540 680 628 555 583 558 7,265

(b) Persons not Usually Resident in Scotland
Grounds/circumstances of termination January Feb. March April May June July August Sept. October Nov. Dec. Total
As in Note 2 … 4 2 2 — 4 — — 1 1 — 1 3 18
Total … 4 2 2 — 4 — — 1 1 — 1 3 18

Grounds for abortion under Section 1(1) of Abortion Act 1967:

Note 1 Risk to life of woman.

Note 2 Risk to physical or mental health of woman.

Note 3 Risk to physical or mental health of existing children.

Note 4 Risk of abnormality in the child.

Special provision for termination in emergencies (Section 1(4)):

Note 5 Immediate need to save life of woman or prevent grave permanent injury to her physical or mental health.