HC Deb 05 March 2003 vol 400 cc1105-6W
Mr. Leigh

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were carried out in England and Wales in 2002 under the provisions of the Abortion Act 1967; what the commonest medical conditions were for which they were performed; what checks his Department carried out to determine the suitability of the medical conditions given; and if he will make a statement. [100326]

Ms Blears

Information for 2002 will not be available until later this year.

In 2001, 186,274 abortions were performed in England and Wales, of which 176,364 were on resident women. 97 per cent. were performed under Section 1(la) of the Abortion Act 1967, as amended—that the pregnancy has not exceeded its twenty-fourth week and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman—and the most common medical conditions reported were mental and behavioural disorders.

Under Section 2(2) of the Act, registered medical practitioners must notify the Chief Medical Officer of every completed termination of pregnancy they perform. The notification form contains detailed information relating to the procedure, including the doctors who certified there were grounds under the Act, gestation, method used and place of termination. Every form is checked and monitored by Departmental officials to ensure that the abortion was performed within the provisions of the Act.

Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 3 February 2003,Official Report, column 100W, on abortions, if he will provide a breakdown of the figures by age of mother; and how many of the abortions in the answer were undertaken in private clinics in (a) Hampshire and (b) the Isle of Wight. [99332]

Ms Blears

The information requested is shown in the table. None of the abortions were undertaken in private clinics in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

NHS funded abortions for Isle of Wight residents, 1997–2001 by age of woman
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Under 15 3 1 0 3 0
15 1 3 3 8 5
16 12 9 11 11 9
17 12 14 11 14 23
18 18 17 8 10 18
19 8 13 14 19 19
20–24 44 31 36 32 62
25–29 27 30 32 45 33
30–34 21 43 24 24 27
35–39 26 22 18 16 24
40– 44 9 8 9 12 6
45 and over 0 3 0 1 1
Total 181 194 166 195 227

Note:

Prepared by Statistics Division 3G, Department of Health.