§ Lord Alton of Liverpoolasked Her Majesty's Government:
What rights parents with moral and ethical objections to abortion will have to ensure that their children are not given the abortion pill RU 486 to procure a medical abortion. [HL5179]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathIt is highly desirable that a young woman facing an unplanned pregnancy will feel able to discuss this with her parents.
The legal framework for young people under 16 to consent to treatment, including abortion, was set out in the House of Lords ruling in 1985 in the case of Gillick v West Norfolk and Wisbech Health Authority and the Department of Health and Social Security.
217WAA Young person under 16 can consent to treatment without parental involvement providing the health professional is satisfied that they are competent to understand fully the implications of any treatment and to make a choice of the treatment proposed. In relation to contraception services the health professional must establish that all of the following criteria are met: that the young person understands the health professional's advice; the health professional cannot persuade the young person to inform his or her parents or allow the doctor to inform the parents that he or she is seeking contraceptive advice; the young person is very likely to begin or continue having intercourse with or without contraceptive treatment; unless he or she receives contraceptive advice or treatment, the young person's physical or mental health or both are likely to suffer; and the young person's best interests require the health professional to give contraceptive advice, treatment or both without parental consent.
The principles set out above specifically refer to contraception but also apply to other treatments including abortion.
In practice, a young person consenting to abortion without parental involvement is unusual and would happen only in exceptional circumstances. In such a situation every effort would be made to help the young person involve another adult for support.
§ Baroness Masham of Iltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many abortions were carried out in each of the last 10 years using the abortion drug RU 486 in:
(a) England; (b) Wales; (c) Scotland; and (d) Northern Ireland; and [HL5277]
What are their proposed target levels in 2002–03 for use of the abortion drug RU 486. [HL5278]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe number of abortions carried out in the last 10 years using the abortion drug RU 486 for residents of England and Wales are shown in the table:
year England Wales England & Wales 1991 1,022 42 1,064 1992 1,502 63 1,565 1993 3,719 224 3,943 1994 5,324 376 5,700 1985 6,983 685 7,668 1996 8,782 933 9,715 1997 10,345 956 11,301 1998 12,849 1,064 13,913 1999 14,735 1,284 16,019 2000 17,647 1,844 19,491 Source: Statistics Division—Department of Health
Statistics for abortions performed in Scotland are a matter for the devolved administration. The Abortion Act does not apply to Northern Ireland.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' evidence-based guideline The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion (2000) recommends that women should be offered a choice of recommended methods for relevant gestation bands. It 218WA is expected that as medical abortion becomes more widely available more women will choose this method. No targets have been set for the use of medical abortion.