The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 30 June 2008:"As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many girls under the age of 17 (a) gave birth and (b) had an abortion in (i) Essex and (ii) England in 2007. (214074)""Available figures are estimates of the number of conceptions that resulted in a live birth, stillbirth or legal termination.""The Office for National Statistics does not routinely publish conception figures for girls aged under 17 by local authority. Figures are however available for conceptions to girls aged under 18 and these have been provided.""Number of conceptions leading to maternities and abortions for girls aged under 18 for 2006 (latest year for which figures are available) are shown in the table below. Figures for 2006 are provisional." Number of conceptions to girls aged under 18 leading to a maternity and an abortion England and Essex for 2006. Area Conceptions leading to a maternity Conceptions leading to an abortion Total conceptions England 19,935 19,068 39,003 Essex 388 451 839 Note: Conceptions for 2006 are provisional.