HC Deb 06 April 1984 vol 57 cc688-9W
Mrs. Dunwoody

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in each of the last three years for which figures are available, how many abortions of suspected seriously handicapped foetuses occured in (a) the 23rd and 24th weeks of gestation and (b) the 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th weeks of gestation.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Hargreaves

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, how many abortions were performed on residents and non-residents at 20 to 23 weeks gestation and 24 weeks and over for the years 1970, 1971, 1972, 1980, 1981 and 1982; on what grounds these were performed; what ages the women were; how many were performed in the National Health Service; and how many were performed in other approved places, respectively.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke,

[pursuant to his reply, 12 March 1984, c. 66–67]: For the years 1980, 1981 and 1982 I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Barking (Ms. Richardson) on 8 February at column 668–670. The available information for 1970, 1971 and

Numbers of and percentages of legal abortions at durations and gestations and totals by category of premises and age of women, residents and non-residents, England and Wales 1970 and 1971 and 1972
Residents Non-Residents
20–23 weeks 24 weeks and over All gestations 20–23 weeks 24 weeks and over All gestations
Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Per cent.
1970
Total 796 105 157 0.21 75,962 100 126 119 14 0.13 10,603 100
Category of premises
NHS premises 686 1.45 137 0.29 47,370 100 14 4.55 3 0.97 308 100
Approved premises 110 0.38 20 0.07 28,592 100 112 1.09 1 0.11 10,295 100
Age of women
Under 16 43 2.48 4 0.23 1,732 100 3 3.33 1 1.11 90 100
16–19 174 1.29 24 0.18 13,518 100 35 2.07 3 0.18 1,690 100
20–24 205 1.03 31 0.16 19,838 100 41 1.22 5 0.15 3,356 100
25–29 131 0.95 33 0.24 13,751 100 22 1.04 1 0.05 2,120 100
30–34 96 0.81 27 0.23 11,901 100 9 0.56 1 0.06 1,619 100
35–39 69 0.75 19 0.21 9,141 100 9 0.84 3 0.28 1,066 100
40–44 58 1.41 15 0.37 4,107 100 4 0.92 0 437 100
45 and over 7 1.78 1 0.25 394 100 0 0 46 100
Not stated age 13 0.82 3 0.19 1,580 100 3 1.68 0 179 100
1971
Total 733 0.78 114 0.12 94,570 100 288 0.89 25 0.08 32,207 100
Category of premises
NHS premises 581 1.09 92 0.17 53,445 100 19 7.57 2 0.80 251 100
Approved premises 152 0.37 22 0.05 41,115 100 269 0.84 23 0.07 31,956 100
Age of women
Under 16 39 1.70 2 0.09 2,296 100 14 4.35 0 322 100
16–19 168 0.92 20 0.11 18,176 100 77 1.64 5 011 4,696 100
20–24 191 0.78 31 0.13 24,465 100 84 0.86 7 0.07 9,782 100
25–29 125 0.72 18 0.10 17,292 100 41 0.64 4 0.06 6,361 100
30–34 81 0.57 21 0.15 14,203 100 27 0.50 3 0.06 5,378 100
35–39 63 0.57 10 0.09 11,023 100 25 0.69 3 0.08 3,616 100
40–44 43 0.88 9 0.18 4,869 100 13 0.91 0 1,430 100
45 and over 8 1.77 1 0.22 451 100 3 2.14 1 0.71 140 100
Not stated age 15 0.84 2 0.11 1,795 100 4 0.83 2 0.41 482 100
1972
Total 709 0.65 137 0.13 108,565 100 327 0.64 33 0.06 51,319 100
Category of premises
NHS premises 484 0.85 97 0.17 56,861 100 225 100
Approved premises 225 0.44 40 0.08 51,704 100 327 0.64 33 0.06 51,094 100
Age of women
Under 16 43 1.53 9 0.32 2,804 100 10 1.94 3 0.58 516 100
16–19 206 0.95 26 0.12 21,786 100 85 1.17 9 0.12 7,264 100
20–24 171 0.64 35 0.13 26,908 100 111 0.71 7 0.04 15,604 100
25–29 120 0.58 25 0.12 20,796 100 52 0.50 4 0.04 10,367 100
30–34 72 0.45 19 0.12 16,076 100 32 0.38 4 0.05 8,402 100
35–39 48 0.39 13 0.11 12,242 100 16 0.27 4 0.07 5,917 100
40–44 32 0.57 6 0.11 5,590 100 14 0.58 1 0.04 2,426 100
45 and over 4 0.84 474 100 3 1.36 221 100
Not stated age 13 0.69 4 0.21 1,889 100 4 0.66 1 0.17 602 100