§ Mr. John Townendasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has issued new guidance to health authorities about offering contraceptive advice to young people.
§ Dr. VaughanLast month we issued new guidance to health authorities about contraceptive advice given to young people and in particular children under 16. This replaced parts of the memorandum issued in May 1974 and follows my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, North-West (Mr. Colvin) on 6 May—[Vol. 984, c.80–82.]
The new memorandum emphasises the importance of the role of parents. It says:
There is widespread concern about counselling and treatment for children under 16. Special care is needed not to undermine 544W parental responsibility and family stability. The Department would, therefore, hope that in any case where a doctor or other professional worker is approached by a person under the age of 16 for advice in these matters, the doctor or other professional, will always seek to persuade the child to involve the parent or guardian (or other person in loco parentis) at the earliest stage of consultation, and will proceed from the assumption that it would be most unusual to provide advice about contraception without parental consent".However, there will be certain "exceptional cases", when to do so would be damaging to the child and not in its interest. The final decision must be for the doctor's clinical judgment.
I am placing copies of the new guidance in the Library.