§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has issued any instructions about the provision of abortion in those districts which have reduced their abortion services;
(2) what plans he has for reducing geographical inequalities in the provision of abortion services.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe level of gynaecological provision including abortion, like any other provision within the national health service, is decided by individual health authorities. The Government believe that such decisions are best taken locally in the light of authorities' first-hand knowledge of local needs and priorities and competing claims on resources.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the ratio of NHS to non-NHS abortions in each regional health area by place of usual residence for each year since 1985.
§ Mr. DorrellThe information requested has been placed in the Library.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were paid for by the NHS under agency arrangements in 1988, 1989 and 1990, by place of usual residence;(a) in each regional health authority and (b) in each district health authority.
§ Mr. DorrellInformation on terminations performed in individual district health authorities cannot be released on grounds of confidentiality. Data for terminations in regional health authorities are shown in the table. The latest full data year available is 1989.
425W
Number of terminations to residents of England and Wales carried out in each regional health authority (RHA) under agency arrangements by RHA of usual residents, 1988, 1989 RHA of usual residence RHA of termination Year England and Wales Wales Northern Yorks. Trent East Anglian North West Thames North East Thames England and Wales 1988 9,357 5 2 445 795 3 1,036 27 1989 9,200 4 3 438 88 3 1,240 29 Wales 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Northern 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Yorkshire 1988 420 0 0 420 0 0 0 0 1989 435 0 0 434 1 0 0 0 Trent 1988 723 0 2 23 698 0 0 0 1989 8 0 3 3 2 0 0 0 East Anglian 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 North West Thames 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 North East Thames 1988 9 0 0 0 0 0 7 1 1989 7 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 South East Thames 1988 371 0 0 0 1 0 5 2 1989 438 0 0 0 0 0 3 7 South West Thames 1988 1,318 0 0 0 0 0 1,012 24 1989 1,504 0 0 0 0 2 1,226 21 Wessex 1988 751 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 704 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Oxford 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 South Western 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 West Midlands 1988 5,762 4 0 0 96 3 12 0 1989 6,100 3 0 1 85 1 8 0 Mersey 1988 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 North Western 1988 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1989 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 426W427W
RHA of termination Year South East Thames South west Thames Wessex Oxford South Western West Midlands Mersey North Western England and Wales 1988 591 24 682 354 95 5,296 1 1 1989 613 42 646 390 81 5,618 3 2 Wales 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Northern 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Yorkshire 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Trent 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 East Anglian 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 North West Thames 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 North East Thames 1988 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1989 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 South East Thames 1988 329 2 9 1 2 20 0 0 1989 380 15 15 1 2 15 0 0 South West Thames 1988 262 16 0 4 0 0 0 0 1989 232 17 0 5 0 1 0 0 Wessex 1988 0 6 672 4 66 1 1 0 1989 0 9 629 2 62 1 0 0 Oxford 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
RHA of termination Year South East Thames South west Thames Wessex Oxford South Western West Midlands Mersey North Western South Western 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 West Midlands 1988 0 0 1 344 27 5,275 0 0 1989 0 0 1 382 17 5,601 1 0 Mersey 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 North Western 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1989 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of abortions for resident women of England and Wales carried out(a) in NHS premises, (b) by agency arrangements and (c) in the private sector in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990.
§ Mr. DorrellThe data are shown in the table. The latest full data year available is 1989.
Number of terminations by category of premises (a) NHS (b) private sector1 (c) agency, England and Wales 1985–89 England and Wales residents Year NHS Private sector Agency 1985 65,176 69,996 5,929 1986 67,451 73,349 6,819 1987 69,442 78,708 8,041 1988 69,103 89,838 9,357 1989 70,722 90,541 9,200 1 All non-NHS minus those performed under Agency arrangements.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what instructions or advice his Department has issued to health authorities in the past 10 years on the provision of NHS abortion services.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe Department discussed the findings of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' report on late abortions in England and Wales in 1985 with regional general managers and regional medical officers and health authorities were encouraged to improve their administrative referral systems. The chief medical officer and chief nursing officer issue circulars and letters to all doctors and nursing officers about aspects of abortion treatment and care when appropriate.
§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the proportion of the cost of an NHS abortion accounted for by the legal requirement for two doctors to assess and certify a patient's eligibility under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyInformation is not available in the form requested, but the estimated revenue cost of an abortion in NHS hospitals is £200.