HC Deb 17 January 1983 vol 35 cc52-3W
Sir Bernard Braine

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide the figures for each of the years from 1970 to 1981 for the number of women from the Republic of Ireland who had abortions in England and Wales according to age, marital status, statutory groups, number of previous live-born children, gestation weeks at the time of the operation, duration of stay in the place where the operation was carried out, and categories of premises.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

Statistics are produced routinely for numbers of legal abortions by country of usual residence and age of woman and these figures for Republic of Ireland residents, 1970 to 1980, are given as follows. Some of the additional data requested for the Irish Republic are available, having been specially commissioned by a Research Unit in that country. I have arranged for those tables which show numbers of abortions by marital status, statutory grounds, duration of stay and category of premises, 1976 to 1980, to be sent to my hon. Friend. The remainder of the information could only be produced at disproportionate cost.

Year All ages Under 16 16–19 20–24 25–29 30–34 35–39 40–44 45 and over not stated
1978 2,548 6 364 1,054 594 260 156 69 13 32
1979 2,804 12 403 1,133 622 340 171 78 5 40
1980 3,320 16 479 1,379 735 380 224 91 11 5

Source:

1970–73 Registrar General's Statistical Review of England and Wales, Supplement on abortion, table 15.

1974–80 OPCS Series AB Abortion Statistics, table 6.11.

Sir Bernard Braine

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide the figures for each of the years from 1970 to 1981 for the number of women from Northern Ireland who had abortions in England and Wales according to age, marital status, statutory groups, number of previous live-born children, gestation weeks at the time of the operation, duration of stay in the place where the operation was carried out, and categories of premises.

Legal abortions by age: Northern Ireland residents, 1970–1980
Year All ages Under 16 16–19 20–24 25–29 30–34 35–39 40–44 45 and over not stated
1970 199 2 47 66 36 28 14 3 1 2
1971 648 7 139 234 107 75 44 25 17
1972 775 12 169 275 115 80 72 34 3 15
1973 1,007 10 191 345 183 121 89 46 5 17
1974 1,092 20 256 337 189 137 89 48 3 13
1975 1,115 25 257 359 173 135 96 48 4 18
1976 1,142 18 292 356 200 121 78 51 1 25
1977 1,244 21 325 374 215 136 101 53 2 17
1978 1,311 19 337 414 208 153 106 49 4 21
1979 1,425 15 339 486 235 146 124 62 1 17
1980 1,565 24 405 527 250 158 135 54 5 7

Source:

1970–3 Registrar General's Statistical Review of England and Wales, Supplement on abortion, table 15.

1974–80 OPCS Series AB Abortion Statistics, table 6.11.