§ Mr. SandersTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the teenage pregnancy rates were for each of the last three years, broken down by constituency. [165824]
§ Mr. BoatengThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Adrian Sanders, dated 19 April 2004:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the teenage pregnancy rates were for each of the last three years, broken down by constituency. (165824)
The most recent year for which figures on teenage conceptions are available is 2001. For information on teenage conceptions by parliamentary constituency, I would refer you to the answer given in the Official Report, volume no 21, column no 586W (16 December 2002). As population estimates for 2000 for parliamentary constituencies (as constituted in that year) are not available, rates cannot be supplied based on these figures. Teenage conception figures by parliamentary constituencies are not readily available for any other years. Figures for 1998 and 1999 are available by ward, local authority and health authority areas. Figures for 2001 are provisional and are only available for local and health authorities. For the purposes of this answer, 'teenage' refers to those aged under 18, in line with the target set by the Government strategy on Teenage Pregnancy.