HC Deb 08 February 1984 vol 53 cc668-9W
Ms. Richardson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many abortions were performed to residents and non-residents at 20 to 23 weeks gestation and 24 weeks and over gestation for the years 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 approved places.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The available information is given in the following tables. For 1980, details of grounds for non-residents could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Residents Non-Residents
20–23 weeks 24 weeks and over Total (all gestation) 20–23 weeks 24 weeks and over Total (all gestation)
No. per cent. No. per cent. No. per cent. No. per cent. No. per cent. No. per cent.
5 and 6 3 21.43 14 100 100
Age of women
Under 16 101 2.86 18 0.51 3,531 100 76 18.18 9 2.15 418 100
16–19 532 1.69 87 0.28 31,393 100 481 9.20 67 1.28 5,230 100
20–24 406 1.18 59 0.17 34,270 100 573 5.15 52 0.47 11,130 100
25–29 169 0.77 23 0.10 21,918 100 235 3.14 26 0.35 7,491 100
30–34 121 0.65 21 0.11 18,718 100 137 2.61 17 0.32 5,246 100
35–39 82 0.64 13 0.10 12,797 100 62 2.03 7 0.23 3,047 100
40–44 55 1.14 9 0.19 4,835 100 41 3.81 3 0.28 1,076 100
45 and over 10 1.77 2 0.35 564 100 15 10.14 2 1.35 148 100
Not stated age 4 0.72 3 0.54 555 100 1 0.88 113 100

Numbers and percentages of legal abortions at durations of gestation and totals by category of premises, statutory grounds and age of women Residents and Non Residents of England and Wales. 1982
Residents Non-Residents
20–23 weeks 24 weeks and over Total (all gestation) 20–23 weeks 24 weeks and over Total (all gestation)
No. per cent. No. per cent. No. per cent. No. per cent. No. per cent. No. per cent.
Total 1,490 1.16 198 0.15 128,553 100 1,726 5.00 264 0.77 34,492 100
Category of premises
NHS premises 484 0.78 54 0.09 62,409 100
Approved premises 1,006 1.52 144 0.22 66,144 100 1,726 5.00 264 0.77 34,492 100
Statutory grounds*
1 (with other) 10 1.53 2 0.31 655 100 19 100
2 1,119 1.02 149 0.14 110,216 100 1,675 5.17 259 0.80 32,370 100
3 (with/without 2) 75 0.48 3 0.02 15,665 100 36 1.93 2 0.11 1,861 100
4 (with any except 1) 284 14.16 41 2.04 2,006 100 15 6.22 2 0.83 241 100
5 and 6 2 18.18 3 27.27 11 100 1 100 1 100
Age of women
Under 16 108 2.80 12 0.31 3,852 100 99 20.16 15 3.05 491 100
16–19 523 1.67 76 0.24 31,349 100 549 10.27 91 1.70 5,345 100
20–24 412 1.18 56 0.16 35,024 100 547 5.04 82 0.76 10,853 100
25–29 170 0.77 20 0.09 22,154 100 258 3.39 40 0.53 7,602 100
30–34 97 0.55 15 0.09 17,593 100 147 2.76 19 0.36 5,328 100
35–39 107 0.81 11 0.08 13,202 100 70 2.00 8 0.23 3,504 100
40–44 56 1.22 5 0.11 4,579 100 37 3.15 7 0.60 1,174 100
45 and over 8 1.53 3 0.57 522 100 14 9.46 1 0.68 148 100
Not stated age 9 3.24 278 100 5 10.64 1 2.13 47 100

Footnote

For 1980 gestation is calculated as the number of completed weeks between last menstrual period and date of operation. For 1981 and 1982 the notification form seeks a direct statement of gestation and the basis on which it is derived.

In 1980 3.2 per cent. of the total number of abortions donot have a stated gestation. In 1981 and 1982 these abortions account for less than one per cent. of the total. For all years these are included only in the 'Total' column.

* Grounds as listed in Schedule 2 of the Abortion Regulations 1968:—

  1. 1. Risk to life of woman
  2. 2. Risk to or injury to physical or mental health of woman
  3. 3. Risk of injury to physical or mental health of existing child(ren)
  4. 4. Substantial risk of child being born abnormal
  5. 5. In emergency—to save life of woman
  6. 6. In emergency—to prevent grave permanent injury to physical or mental health of woman.

Abortions to non-residents are assumed to have been performed in approved places.