§ Mr. SumbergTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give a breakdown by gestation of pregnancy of the number of abortions performed in the north-west region in the latest year for which figures are available; [39865]
(2) how many abortions have now been performed in total within the north-west region under the provisions of the Abortion Act 1967; and how many and what percentage of those abortions were performed in emergency to save the life of the woman; [39863]
(3) if he will make a statement on the statistically most likely candidate for an abortion within the north-west region after the 24th week of pregnancy in the latest year for which figures are available in terms of (a) the age of the woman, (b) the marital status of the woman, (c) the number of previous children of the woman and (d) the grounds under which the abortion is performed; [39862]
(4) if he will give a breakdown by the procedure adopted of the number of abortions performed in the north-west region in the latest year for which figures are available. [39864]
§ Mr. MerchantTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will indicate the statistically most likely candidate for an abortion within the NHS South Thames region after the 24th week of pregnancy, in the latest year for which figures are available, in terms of(a) the age of the woman, (b) the marital status of the woman, (c) the number of previous children of the woman and (d) the grounds under which the abortion is performed. [39781]
§ Mrs. Angela KnightI regret that it has not been possible to provide a substantive answer before the summer recess. I shall write to the hon. Members shortly and place a copy of the letter in the Library.
§ Mr. SumbergTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the statistically most likely candidate for an abortion within the north-west region in the latest year for which figures are available in terms of(a) the age of the woman, (b) the marital status of the woman, (c) the number of previous children of the woman and (d) the grounds under which the abortion is performed. [39861]
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe statistically most likely candidate for an abortion for each of the variables listed is defined as the category with the highest recorded frequency of legal terminations. The percentages are based on all legal terminations performed in 1993, to women usually resident in the north-west health region.
544WThe categories with the highest frequencies found in each of the variables are as follows:
age of the woman: 20–24 age group comprised 32 per cent. (3,742) of all terminations.Marital status: single women comprised 29 per cent. (3,232) of all terminations.Number of previous children born by the woman: women with no previous (live and still born) children born to them, comprised 49 per cent. (5,669) of all terminations.Legal ground under which abortion was performed: statutory ground C alone comprised 84 per cent. (9.689) of all terminations. The definition of ground C is "that the pregnancy has not exceeded its 24th week and that the continuance of pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, or injury to the physical or mental health of the woman".Reference: 1993 Abortion Statistics, England and Wales, Series AB no. 20.
§ Mr. MerchantTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a breakdown by gestation of pregnancy of the number of abortions performed in the NHS South Thames region in the latest year for which figures are available. [39775]
§ Mr. WaldegraveFigures for 1994 which give a breakdown of the number of abortions performed to usually resident women in the South Thames health region by gestation of pregnancy can be found in the OPCS monitor series AB95/9, "Legal abortions in England and Wales 1994: residents of regional and district health areas".
§ Mr. MerchantTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will indicate the statistically most likely candidate for an abortion within the South Thames region in the latest year for which figures are available in terms of(a) the age of the woman, (b) the marital status of the woman, (c) the number of previous children of the woman and (d) the grounds under which the abortion is performed. [39772]
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe statistically most likely candidate for an abortion for each of the variables listed is defined as the category with the highest recorded frequency of legal terminations. The percentages are based on all legal terminations performed in 1993, to women usually resident in the South East and South West Thames health regions.
The categories with the highest frequencies found in each of the variables are as follows:
545WAge of the woman: 20–24 age group comprised 29 per cent. (7,113) of all terminations.Marital status: single woman comprised 25 per cent. (6,140) of all terminations.Number of previous children born by the woman: women with no previous (live and still born) children born to them, comprised 37 per cent. (9,245) of all terminations.Legal ground under which the abortion was performed: statutory ground C alone comprised 85 per cent. (21,328) of all terminations. The definition of ground C is "that the pregnancy has not exceeded its 24th week and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, or injury to the physical or mental health of the women".Reference: 1993 Abortions Statistics, England and Wales, Series AB no. 20.
§ Mr. MerchantTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many abortions have been performed in total within the NHS South Thames region under the provisions of the Abortions Act 1967; and how many and what percentage of those abortions were performed in emergency to save the life of the mother. [39776]
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe total number of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act, to women usually resident in the South Thames health region1 from 1970 to 19942 was 529,032. During this period 10 abortions, 0 per cent. of the total number of abortions performed were carried out in an emergency, certified by the operating practitioner as immediately necessary, to save the life of the woman3.
1 Figures are based, where possible, on 1994 health authority boundaries. Other boundary changes have not been reflected in the figures.2 Figures for 1968–69 are not held on a comparable basis.3 Abortions performed under statutory grounds 5 (1970–31st March 1991) and F (1st April 1991—present) i.e. where in the case of emergency it was necessary to save the life of the woman.