HC Deb 04 February 1985 vol 72 cc456-7W
Mrs. Ann Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of all abortions were performed under the National Health Service in each of the following years: 1968, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1982 and 1983.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The information is shown in the table.

Abortions performed under the National Health Service as percentage of all abortions in England and Wales, 1968, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1982 and 1983
Percentages
Year Residents Non-Residents Total
1968* 64.9 5.2 61.6
1970 62.4 2.9 55.1

Year Residents Non-Residents Total
1975 48.0 0.6 36.6
1980 47.0 0.7 37.8
1982 48.5 0.4 38.4
1983 49.2 0.6 38.7
* 27 April to 31 December.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of all maternal deaths resulted from (a) abortion and (b) sepsis which may have arisen from either legal or illegal abortions, in each of the following years: 1950, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980 and in the latest year for which figures are available.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The information is shown in the table.

Number of deaths from (a) abortion and (b) abortion with sepsis, and as percentages of all maternal deaths in the years 1950, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980 and 1983 in England and Wales.
Abortions total With Sepsis
Year Number Per cent. Number Per cent. All maternal deaths
1950 103 16.6 64 10.3 620
1960 62 20.0 33 10.6 310
1965 52 23.5 29 13.1 221
1970 32 21.9 21 14.4 146
1975 8 10.4 1 1.3 77
1980 3 4.8 2 3.2 62
1983 2 4.2 1 2.1 48

The figures do not distinguish between spontaneous and other forms of abortion.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many discharges from hospitals there were following diagnosis of septic abortion in each of the following years: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1975, 1980, 1982 and 1983.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of abortions performed in the private sector in each of the following years: 1968, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1982 and 1984; and what percentage of this total was performed by (a) the Pregnancy Advisory Service and (b) the British Pregnancy Advisory Service in each of those years.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The number of abortions notified as performed in non-NHS premises is shown in the table. It is not possible to determine the percentage performed by the Pregnancy Advisory Service and the British Pregnancy Advisory Service from the notifications.

Number of abortions performed in non-NHS premises, residents and non-residents for 1968, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1982 and 1984, England and Wales
Year All cases Residents Non-Residents
1968 9,081 7,840 1,241
1970 38,887 28,592 10,295
1975 88,555 55,283 33,272
1980 100,085 68,333 31,752
1982 100,513 66,144 34,369
1984* 53,214 36,068 17,146
* 1984 figures are for the March and June quarters only.