§ Mr. Merchantasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he last issued guidance to the Northern regional health authority concerning the implementation of the Infant Life (Preservation) Act of 1929 in regard to late abortions; and what was that guidance.
§ Mr. John Carlisleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he last issued guidance to the North West Thames regional health authority concerning the implementation of the Infant Life (Preservation) Act of 1929 in regard to late abortions; and what was that guidance.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he last issued guidance to the North-East Thames regional health authority concerning the implementation of the Infant Life (Preservation) Act of 1929 in regard to late abortions; and what was that guidance.
§ Mr. Benyonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he last issued guidance to the Oxford regional health authority concerning the implementation of the Infant Life (Preservation) Act of 1929 in regard to late abortions; and what that guidance was.
§ Mr. NewtonSpecific guidance about the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929 has not been issued to health authorities. However, encouraged by the Department, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists established a working party which recommended in its 1985 report, "Fetal Viability and Clinical Practice" that the reference to 28 weeks gestation in the 1929 Act was now out of date in view of advances in medical techniques. In the light of this recommendation the report was sent in October 1985 to all regional health authorities and drawn to the attention of regional medical officers.
§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information health authorities are required to provide to his Department about its role in the implementation and enforcement of the Infant Life (Preservation) Act of 1929 in regard to late abortions.
§ Mr. NewtonThe Department does not require health authorities to provide information of the kind specified in the question. Abortions are monitored through scrutiny of the abortion notification forms which the individual doctor performing an abortion is required under the abortion regulations to submit to the chief medical officer. Any notification giving a gestation period which suggested that an offence under the Infant Life (Preservation) Act might have occurred would be followed up.