HC Deb 24 October 1983 vol 47 cc49-50W
Mrs. Dunwoody

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many male sterilisations were performed in (a) family planning clinics and (b) National Health Service hospitals in each year since 1974.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The following figures relate to England and Wales. Those derived from the Hospital In-Patient Inquiry are the most recent available.

Year NHS hospitals (estimated numbers)* Family planning clinics
In-patients Day cases
1974 4,060 N/A 11,368
1975 2,380 15,080 17,604
1976 2,960 19,280 17,528
1977 3,220 27,130 17,182
1978 4,340 35,880 18,097
1979 3,470 †38,760 16,336
1980 †3,340 †36,810 14,432
1981 14,189
* Derived from hospital in-patient inquiry.
† Provisional.

Mrs. Dunwoody

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many female sterilisations have been carried out in National Health Service hospitals in each year since 1971; and how many of these in each year were performed at the time of delivery, at the time of abortion and at other times, respectively.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The following figures relate to England and Wales. Those derived from the Hospital In-Patient Inquiry are the most recent available.

Estimated number of sterilisations associated with delivery
Year Number
1971 26,650
1972 22,600
1973 21,860
1974 19,200
1975 17,480
1976 16,380
1977 14,110
1978 13,940

SourceHospital in-patient inquiry.

Sterilisations associated with terminations
Year Number
1971 14,193
1972 13,512
1973 11,434
1974 10,250
1975 8,515
1976 8,145
1977 7,889
1978 7,971
1979 7,972
1980 8,077
1981 7,351

SourceOffice of Population Censuses and Surveys, abortion statistics.

Estimated number of sterilisations performed in other circumstances
Year Number
1971 20,880
1972 24,420
1973 28,910
1974 29,780
1975 23,680
1976 35,120
1977 42,250
1978 53,310
1979 58,500

SourceHospital in-patient inquiry.