§ Jim DobbinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions have been performed on girls(a) under the age of 16 and (b) under the age of 18 since commencement of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy; and what these figures are, expressed as a percentage of (i) those girls to whom contraception, including emergency contraception, has been provided through the strategy and (ii) the total number of girls in each age range. [78065]
§ Ms BlearsThe Government's teenage pregnancy strategy was launched in June 1999.
The following table provides abortion numbers and rates for resident women of England and Wales, aged under 16 and 16–19, for the years 1999, 2000 and 2001. 506W Rates for under 16s are based on the population of women aged 13–15. The information requested is not available for under 18s.
Under 16s Number Under 16s Rate 16–19 Number 16–19 Rate 1999 3600 3.8 32800 26.0 2000 3700 3.8 33200 26.7 2001 3600 3.7 33400 26.1 Source:
Health Statistics Quarterly, No. 15
Information on abortion data as a percentage of those girls to whom contraception, including emergency contraception, has been provided through the strategy, is not available as requested.
§ Jim DobbinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sexually transmitted infections have been recorded in girls(a) under the age of 16 and (b) under the age of 18 since commencement of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy; and what these figures are, expressed as a percentage of (i) those girls to whom contraception including emergency contraception, has been provided through the strategy and (ii) the total number of girls in each age range. [78066]
§ Ms BlearsThe Government's teenage pregnancy strategy was launched in June 1999. The table shows numbers of females diagnosed with the following sexually transmitted infections: infectious syphilis, uncomplicated gonorrhoea, uncomplicated chlamydial infection, first attack genital herpes simplex virus and first attack genital warts, for the years 1999, 2000 and 2001. Rates per 100,000 13–15 year olds and 16–19 year olds in the population are in brackets. Data for the under 18 age band is not collected.
Condition (All) 1999 2000 2001 Region England Sex Female Age group Under 16 1404(156) 1510(164) 1765(192) 16–19 21612(1822) 23712(2023) 25345(2163) Source:
A joint publication between PHLS (England, Wales and Northern Ireland), DHSS and PS (Northern Ireland) and the Scottish ISD (d) 5 Collaborative Group (ISD. SCIEH and MSSVD). 2002.
Information on sexually transmitted infections data as a percentage of those young women to whom contraception, including emergency contraception has been provided through the strategy, is not available as requested.
§ Jim DobbinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health which(a) pharmacies and (b) supermarkets in England and Wales are authorised to provide emergency contraception, including the so-called morning after pill, to teenagers under the age of 16 years; since when each business has been authorised to do so; and on what terms the provision of emergency contraception is authorised. [78070]
§ Ms BlearsInformation on independent, chain or supermarket pharmacies providing emergency contraception is not collected centrally. The involvement of pharmacies in the National Health 507W Service provision of emergency contraception is a local decision taken by the primary care trusts in liaison with local pharmacies.
Pharmacists providing emergency contraception under NHS arrangements do so under patient group directions (PGD). A PGD is a written instruction for the supply or administration of medicines to groups of patients without an individualised doctor's prescription. The supply of medicines under PGDs remains under medical supervision.
PGDs are drawn up locally under regulations and guidance issued in August 2000. They apply to pharmacists, nurses and other designated health professionals and are authorised by the clinical governance lead in the primary care trust or community NHS trust.
Pharmacists providing emergency contraception to under 16s do so under the established legal framework for all health professionals. This involves assessing the young person's competence to understand the choices they are making and encouraging them to talk to their parents. Pharmacists are trained to ensure that young women are informed about and encouraged to visit local services that provide regular forms of contraception and condoms to protect against sexually transmitted infections.
All health professionals, including pharmacists, are bound by their professional code of confidentiality. A young person's request for confidentiality is respected unless there are serious child protection issues.
§ Jim DobbinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many conceptions have been recorded in girls(a) under the age of 16 and (b) under the age of 18 since the commencement of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy; and what these figures are expressed as (i) a percentage of those girls to whom contraception, including emergency contraception, has been provided through the strategy and (ii) a percentage of the total number of girls in each age range. [78005]
§ Ms BlearsThe Government's teenage pregnancy strategy was launched in June 1999.
The table shows conception numbers and rates by age of woman at conception for residents of England for 1999 and 2000. Rates for under 16s and under 18s are based on the population of women aged 13–15 and 15–17 respectively. The data for 2000 remains provisional.
1999 Number 1999 Rate 2000 Number 2000 Rate Under 16 7408 8.2 7617 8.3 Under 18 39,247 44.7 38,690 43.6 Source:
Office for National Statistics
Information on conception data as a percentage of those girls to whom contraception, including emergency contraception, has been provided through the strategy, is not available as requested.
§ Jim DobbinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health which schools in England and Wales are authorised to provide(a) contraception and (b) emergency 508W contraception to their pupils; since when each school has been authorised to do so; and in which schools and on what terms (i) contraception and (ii) emergency contraception is available to girls and boys under the age of 16 in these schools. [78067]
§ Ms BlearsInformation on the number of schools providing contraception as part of a school based health service is not collected centrally.
The provision of school based health services is a decision for the governing body of the individual school, where the governing body and school community identify a need. Services should be developed in consultation with parents and information clearly provided as part of the school's sex and relationship education policy.
Within a school based service, contraception, including emergency contraception, is only provided to young people under 16 by health professionals under medical supervision. This includes the supply by school nurses, working to patient group directions. A patient group direction is a written instruction for the supply or administration of medicines to groups of patients without an individualised doctor's prescription. There are no circumstances where teachers provide contraception.
Health professionals can provide contraception to young people under 16 provided they are satisfied that the young person is competent to understand fully the implications of any treatment and to make a choice of the treatment involved. Health professionals work within an established legal framework which involves assessing the young person's competence to understand the choices they are making and encouraging them to talk to their parents. All professionals are bound by their professional code of confidentiality. A young person's request for confidentiality is respected unless there are serious child protection issues.
School based health services provide advice on a wide range of health and emotional issues. The benefits of providing pupils with easy access to one to one advice from a health professional are recognised in a recent OFSTED report "Sex and Relationships" (2002), which cites a school based clinic as an example of best practice.