§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to the numbers and trend of young girls having abortions; whether he has received any recent expert recommendations on the matter; whether he has any proposals; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI gave detailed statistics on the number and rate of abortions carried out on girls aged under 16 resident in England and Wales from 1968 to 1983 respectively in my replies to my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) on 28 January at column61 and the hon. Member for Barking on 12 February at columns 155-58. Statistics for the whole of 1984 are not yet available, but in the first three quarters 3,057 abortions were carried out on girls aged under 16 resident in England and Wales compared with 3,011 in the corresponding period of the previous year.
A research report published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on late abortions in England and Wales made recommendations about 429W counselling and health education for young people and the importance of the early recognition of pregnancy. A similar recommendation was made in the research report on counselling services recently published by the Policy Studies Institute. We are discussing these with the Department of Education and Science and the Health Education Council.
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he has any proposals to seek to ensure that the availability of National Health Service abortion services are more evenly distributed throughout the country; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what steps he takes to ensure that all health authorities provide sufficient National Health Service abortion facilities, including day care abortion centres; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeIt is for health authorities to decide the level and scope of their provision for abortion, including day care facilities, in the light of local needs and circumstances.
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will issue guidelines to all health authorities to seek to ensure that all abortions, as provided for by the Abortion Act 1967, are quickly arranged after the appropriate counselling; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what is his policy towards securing the performance of therapeutic abortions as early in pregnancy as possible; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what is his policy towards the provision of a facility for general practitioners and family planning clinic doctors to make appointments for abortion consultation by telephone after the appropriate counselling and discussion; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeIt is clearly desirable that abortions should be carried out as early in pregnancy as possible. Recently published research by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of General Practitioners has drawn attention to the factors which cause delay in abortion operations. We are discussing with the National Health Service how these problems, including the points made in the hon. Member's questions, can be tackled.
1981–82 £ 1982–83 £ 1983–84 £ 1984–85 £ 1985–86 £ Mastectomy Association 6,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 Women's National Cancer Control Campaign 60,000 65,000 68,000 68,000 68,000 Cancer Link — — — 6,000 6,000 We also make a substantial grant to the Health Education Council which among other activities produces and distributes a leaflet on breast self-examination.