HC Deb 02 November 1987 vol 121 cc562-8W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 26 October, at column 175, what is the percentage of women who are referred for abortions by each abortion agency of which his Department's investigative officers are aware.

Mr. Newton

I regret that this information is not collected centrally.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 26 October, al. column 175, whether the figure of 74 per cent. of abortions after 18 weeks being performed upon single women includes married women who are separated from their husbands.

Mr. Newton

No.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) pursuant to his reply of 26 October, at column 175, if he will supply a list of the names and addresses of the proprietors of those abortion agencies and clinics which are linked financially to the knowledge of his Department;

(2) pursuant to his reply of October, at column 175, if he will list the eight abortion agencies which have financial links with abortion clinics, stating in each case the number of places where counselling is undertaken and the number of clinics involved;

(3) pursuant to his reply of 26 October, at column 175, if he will describe the scale and precise nature of the financial links between the eight abortion agencies and clinics in such a manner so as not to identify the eight agencies concerned.

Mr. Newton

It is not possible to publish details of the links between abortion counselling agencies and approved nursing homes without releasing details which are provided to the Department in confidence. My hon. Friend may wish to approach abortion counselling agencies direct for this information.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 26 October, at column 175, when he expects the publication of the paper currently being prepared by the Manchester research unit of the Royal College of General Practitioners on post-abortion stress disorder.

Mr. Newton

I understand that the paper is likely to be published early next year.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 26 October, at column 175, whether he has any information concerning the revenue generated by the 99.7 per cent of abortions upon foreign women which were performed in the private clinics in 1986.

Mr. Newton

No.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 26 October, at column 175, whether he has any plans to review his Department's current practice of not recording details of the after-care provided to non-resident patients who have abortions in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Newton

We have no plans to do so.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 26 October, at column 175, whether he has any plans to introduce a requirement for an information sheet and discharge letter in their native language to be provided to all non-resident women upon whom abortions are performed in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Newton

We are satisfied that this is already done as good medical practice, and have no plans to make it a statutory requirement.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all those agencies which are currently licensed by his Department to counsel or refer women for abortions stating in each case the total number of women whom they dealt with in the latest year for which figures are available and state the number of those women who were referred for abortions.

Mr. Newton

Pregnancy advisory bureaux currently registered with the Department are listed as follows. Information on the numbers of women dealt with is not available centrally.

  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Basingstoke Branch
  • Church Grange Health Centre
  • Bramleys Drive
  • Basingstoke RG21 1QN
  • Birmingham Pregnancy Consultation Service
  • 14–16 Temple Street
  • Birmingham B2 5BG
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Birmingham Branch
  • Guildhall Buildings
  • Navigation Street
  • Birmingham B2 4BT
  • Blackpool Pregnancy Testing and Counselling Centre Stanley Buildings
  • 3 Caunce Street
  • Blackpool
  • 564
  • Pregnancy Advisory Service—Blackpool
  • 93 Abingdon Street
  • Blackpool FY1 1PP
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Bournemouth (Pelhams) Branch
  • Pelhams Clinic
  • Millhams Road
  • Bournemouth
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Bournemouth (Dean Park) Branch
  • 23 Ophir Road
  • Bournemouth
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Brighton Branch
  • Wistons Site
  • Chatsworth Road
  • Brighton
  • Sussex BN1 5PA
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Chester Branch
  • 98A Foregate Street
  • Chester CHI 1HB
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Coventry Branch
  • Coundon Welfare Clinic
  • Barker Butts Lane
  • Coventry
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Doncaster Branch
  • The Bungalow
  • 1a Avenue Road
  • Doncaster
  • South Yorkshire
  • Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Rosslyn
  • 17 Rosslyn Road
  • East Twickenham
  • Middlesex TW 1 2AR
  • Options
  • Population Control Clinic
  • 45 Fitzwilliam Street
  • Huddersfield HD1 5LG
  • Sister Rose Pregnancy Advisory Centre (Hull)
  • 139 Beverley Road
  • Hull
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Hull Branch
  • 32 Beverley Road
  • Hull
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Leeds Branch
  • 8 The Headrow
  • Leeds
  • Yorkshire
  • 565
  • Sister Rose Pregnancy Advisory Centre (Leeds)
  • 4 Albion Street
  • Leeds 1
  • Marie Stopes Centre
  • 10 Queens Square
  • Leeds 2
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Liverpool Branch
  • 20–22 Rodney Street
  • Liverpool L1 2TQ
  • Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Fourth Floor
  • Hepworth Chambers
  • Church Street
  • Liverpool L1 3BG
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • London Branch
  • 7 Belgrave Road
  • London SW1
  • Birth Control and Pregnancy Counselling Ltd
  • 10 Coptic Street
  • London WC1
  • The Gerrard Street Clinic
  • Medical Centre
  • 36 Gerrard Street
  • London W1V 7LP
  • London Youth Advisory Centre
  • 26 Prince of Wales Road
  • London NW5
  • Marie Stopes
  • North London Pregnancy Advisory Bureau
  • 65 Shoot-Up Hill
  • London NW2
  • Metropolitan Pregnancy Control Centre
  • 40 Mortimer Street
  • London W1
  • Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • 11/13 Charlotte Street
  • London W1
  • Preterm
  • 40 Mortimer Street
  • London WIN 7RB
  • Pregnancy and Gynaecological Advisory Service
  • 26 Fouberts Place
  • London W1N 1HG
  • The Well Woman Centre
  • Marie Slopes House
  • 108 Whitfield Street
  • London W1
  • The Well Woman Centre
  • Marie Stopes Annexe
  • 114 Whitfield Street
  • London W1
  • 566
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Luton Branch
  • 3A Upper George Street
  • Luton LU1 2QY
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Manchester Branch
  • Suite F Ground Floor
  • Fourways House
  • 57 Hilton Street
  • Manchester M1 2EJ
  • Marie Stopes Pregnancy Advisory Bureau
  • 1 Police Street
  • Manchester M1 7LQ
  • Pregnancy Advisory Service—Manchester
  • 5th Floor
  • Newton Buildings
  • Newton Street
  • Manchester M1 2EJ
  • Sister Rose Pregnancy Advisory Centre (Manchester)
  • Fifth Floor
  • 2 St John Street
  • Manchester 3
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Milton Keynes Branch
  • First Floor
  • Eaglestone Health Centre
  • Standing Way
  • Milton Keynes MK6 5AZ
  • East Midlands Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • The Grange
  • 480A Mansfield Road
  • Sherwood
  • Nottingham
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Sheffield Branch
  • 160 Charles Street
  • Sheffield S1 2NE
  • 408 Young People's Consultation Centre Ltd
  • 408 Ecclesall Road
  • Sheffield S11 8PJ
  • Sheffield Pregnancy and Counselling Service
  • 276 Glossop Road
  • Sheffield S10 2HS
  • Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • 1A George Street
  • Newcastle-Under-Lyme
  • Staffordshire ST5 1JX
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Swindon Branch
  • Priory Road Health Clinic
  • Priory Road
  • Swindon SN3 2EZ
  • 567
  • British Pregnancy Advisory Service
  • Leamington Spa Branch
  • Holly Walk Welfare Clinic
  • Holly Walk
  • Leamington Spa
  • Warwickshire
  • Sister Rose Pregnancy Advisory Centre
  • (Wolverhampton)
  • Second Floor
  • 19–21 Queen Street
  • Wolverhampton

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 26 October, if he will list the abortion agencies and clinics which are run by the 32 individuals of whom his Department is aware who are both directors or trustees of a company or charity providing abortion counselling and also of a clinic providing abortions; and if he will list the names of those individuals.

Mr. Newton

This information, like any commercial information, was supplied to the Department on an "in confidence" basis and is therefore not for publication.

Mr Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 26 October, at column 175, if he will list the names and addresses of each abortion agency or clinic from which a licence has been withdrawn in the last 20 years following the discovery of breaches of the requirement to notify changes in financial arrangements.

Mr. Newton

No approved place has had its approval withdrawn for the reasons stated.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 26 October, at column 175, whether he has any plans to make it a requirement for doctors working on a salaried basis at an abortion agency not also to perform abortions on these patients in a nursing home or clinic.

Mr. Newton

We have no plans to do so.

Mr. Nicholas Winteron

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services. pursuant to his reply of 26 October, at column 175, if he will explain how patient confidentiality would be breached by disclosing the numbers of abortions performed in each year after 18 weeks gestation in emergency to save the life of the mother.

Mr. Newton

Where small numbers are involved, it is possible that disclosure of information in detail would, when compared with figures already published, reveal sensitive information about individuals to persons with other knowledge of them. It is therefore policy to disclose information only in a form which minimises this risk. This policy was followed by giving grouped data in the reply of 26 October.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 26 October, at column 175, why reliable information concerning the number of abortions performed in the case of rape has not been available for the past 20 years; and if he will give the details of the changes which are now being introduced to remedy this.

Mr. Newton

The Abortion Act 1967 does not require a certifying doctor to specifically mention cases of rape on the notification form, but in some cases the information is volunteered. Furthermore, until 1979 only medical conditions directly affecting the foetus were coded and analysed. The information obtained of cases of rape was, therefore, necessarily incomplete.

Between 1979 and 1986 the medical condition of the woman was also coded, but mentions of rape were not always separately identified. From 1987 onwards all mentions of rape will be separately coded and analysed.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 26 October, at column 175, if he will give a breakdown of the average cost of £170 of performing an abortion on the National Health Service.

Mr. Newton

These detailed costs are not centrally identified.

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