§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many teenage girls(a) below the age of 16 years and (b) over the age of 16 years fell pregnant in (i) 2003–04 and (ii) each of the previous five years. [171070]
§ Ruth KellyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Tim Loughton, dated 10 May 2004:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many teenage girls (a) below 16 and (b) over 16 conceived in (i) 2003/4 and (ii) each of the previous five years. (171070)
For this purpose, teenagers are interpreted as the under 18 age group, in line with the target set by The Government Strategy on Teenage Pregnancy.
The table gives the number of conceptions among girls aged under 16, 16 and 17 in England and Wales for 1997 to 2001, the most recent year for which figures are available.
144W
Age at conception Under 16 16 17 1997 8,271 14,058 21,029 1998 8,452 13,802 21,865 1999 7,945 13,334 20,749 2000 8,114 13,153 20,081 20011 7,891 13,103 19,972 1Provisional. Numbers of conceptions are estimated from registrations of births and notifications of abortions. Miscarriages before the 24th week of gestation are not included.