HC Deb 29 March 1988 vol 130 cc451-2W
Mr. Nicholas Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the percentage of total abortions carried out on women normally resident outside the United Kingdom and where pregnancy was of 18 weeks or more gestation carried out by the 11 consultant gynaecologists in the private sector who undertook the largest number of such operations in each year since 1968.

Mr. Newton

No, for reasons of maintaining confidentiality.

Mr. Nicholas Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list by place of residence for each year since 1968 the number of women usually resident outside the United Kingdom where pregnancy was of 18 weeks or more gestation who had an abortion in a National Health Service hospital, and the grounds under which the operations were carried out;

(2) if he will list by place of residence for each year since 1968 the number of women usually resident outside the United Kingdom where pregnancy was of 18 weeks or more gestation who had an abortion in a non-National Health Service hospital or clinic, and the grounds under which the operations were carried out.

Mr. Newton

I regret that the full information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the table shows readily available data for 1986 which may be of interest to my hon. Friend.

Notifications of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967. Non-residents of England and Wales by country of usual residence and grounds. Gestation 18 completed weeks and over.
England and Wales 1986.
Country of Usual Residence Statutory Grounds
Total 2 Alone 3 With or Without 2 Other1
British Isles 445 418 26 1
Scotland 123 106 17 —
Northern Ireland 72 70 2 —
Irish Republic 224 218 5 1
Channel Islands and Isle of Man 26 24 2 —
Other European 3,101 3,056 35 10
Belgium,Luxembourg and Netherlands 54 54 — —
France and Monaco 1,716 1,692 21 3
German Federal
Republic and Austria 101 100 1 —
Italy and Malta 342 335 3 4
Spain and Portugal 845 832 10 3
Rest of World 142 140 1 1
1 Mentioning principally grounds 4.

Statutory Grounds;

  1. 1 The continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life 452 of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated,
  2. 2 The continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated,
  3. 3 The continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk or injure to the physical or mental health of any existing child(ren) in the family of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated,
  4. 4 There is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped, or in emergency, certified by the operating practitioner as immediately necessary—
  5. 5 To save the life of the pregnant woman, or
  6. 6 To prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or
  7. 7 mental health of the pregnant woman.

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