HC Deb 06 November 1987 vol 121 c894W
Mr. Nicholas Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of convictions in England and Wales for procuring an illegal abortion in each year since 1957.

Mr. John Patten

The information requested is given in the table. Details of proceedings for procuring an illegal abortion are published annually in tables S1.1(A) and S2.1(A) of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, Supplementary Tables, Vols, 1 and 2", under offence classification 14.

Persons found guilty of procuring an illegal abortion 1
England and Wales Number of persons 2
Year Found guilty
1957 40
1958 40
1959 42
1960 42
1961 55
1962 82
1963 54
1964 63
1965 60
1966 56
1967 65
1968 60
1969 52
1970 41
1971 36
1972 26
1973 8
1974 11
1975 1
1976 4
1977 2
1978 2
1979
1980 4
1981
1982
1983 3
1984 2
1985
1986 2
1Includes offences under section 59 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861.
2As shown by the records held centrally, which are approximate.