HC Deb 03 March 1998 vol 307 cc574-5W
Mr. Moss

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) pregnancies and (b) abortions were undergone by girls under 16 years of age in each year from 1980 to 1995 in (i) England and Wales and (ii) Scotland. [32727]

Mrs. Liddell

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Malcolm Moss, dated 3 March 1998:

As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on pregnancies and abortions undergone by girls under 16 from 1980 to 1995.The numbers of conceptions to girls aged under 16 in England and Wales are published in:1985 Birth Statistics FM1 No 12 (for 1980–83)1995 Birth Statistics FM1 No 24 (for 1984–94)ONS Monitor FM1 97/2 Conceptions in England and Wales 1995.These publications are available in the House of Commons Library.The conceptions figures for England and Wales relate to pregnancies resulting in a live birth, a stillbirth or a therapeutic abortion; they do not include miscarriages or illegal abortions.

The numbers of conceptions to girls aged 13–15 in Scotland are as follows:

Year Number
1984 811
1985 847
1986 848
1987 803
1988 828
1989 794
1990 750
1991 773
1992 761
1993 772
1994 801
1995 828

Data prior to 1984 and for girls aged under 13 are not readily available and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.

Figures for Scotland relate to pregnancies resulting in a live birth, stillbirth, a therapeutic abortion or a spontaneous abortion (miscarriage).Information on the number of legal abortions performed in England and Wales can be obtained from the OPCS/ONS Abortion Statistics publications, Series AB Nos. 7–22, 1980–96, available in the House of Commons Library.The numbers of therapeutic abortions performed in Scotland on girls aged under 16 are as follows:

Year Number
1980 236
1981 202
1982 246
1983 240
1984 320
1985 304
1986 310
1987 280
1988 283
1989 262
1990 240
1991 280
1992 247
1993 285
1994 293
1995 312

Dr. Vis

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many residents of Northern Ireland obtained abortions in England and Wales in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [32818]

Mrs. Liddell

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Tim Holt to Dr. Rudi Vis, dated 3 March 1998:

As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on abortions on residents of Northern Ireland.

The numbers of legal abortions performed in England and Wales on residents of Northern Ireland for each of the last three years for which figures are available are as follows:

Year Number of Abortions
1994 1,678
1995 1,548
1996 1,573