§ Mr. Anthony Grantasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will withdraw his Department's circular of December last to area health authorities on family planning and issue a fresh circular emphasising that in no circumstances should contraceptive devices be given by clinics to children aged under 16 years without the express consent of their parents; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. VaughanThe circular emphasises the importance of the role of parents. It says that
it would be most unusual to provide advice about contraception without parental consent".The circular recognises that there will, however, be some cases where this is not possible or advisable. It goes on:
The Department realises that in such exceptional cases the nature of any counselling must be a matter for the doctor or other professional worker concerned and that the decision whether or not to prescribe contraception must be for the clinical judgment of the doctor.