To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions have been performed under the Abortion Act 1967, as amended by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990; and how many and what percentage were performed (a) to save the life of the mother and (b) where the child would have been seriously disabled. (148069)

There were 5.5 million (5,483,438) abortions performed in England and Wales on residents between 1968 and 2006.

In the period between 1968 and 2002¹, 23,726 (0.4 per cent.) were performed under Section l(4)² and Section l(l)(c)³ of the Abortion Act, to save the life of the mother.

In the period between 1968 and 2006, 72,220 (1.3 per cent.) were performed under Section l(l)(d)⁴ of the Abortion Act.

¹ For 2003 onwards, these data are suppressed for reasons of confidentiality as the presented value would reveal a total of less than 10 (0-9) when used with data already published. This is in line with the Office for National Statistics’ guidance on the disclosure of abortion statistics (2005).

² “that the termination is immediately necessary to save the life or to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman”.

³ “that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated”.

⁴ “that there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped”.

Source:

Statistical Bulletin: Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2006

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women seeking an abortion in England gave addresses in (a) Northern Ireland, (b) the Republic of Ireland, (c) Israel, (d) Malta and (e) Poland in 2006. (148070)

In England and Wales, in 2006, there were 1,295 abortions for residents of Northern Ireland, 5,042 for residents of the Republic of Ireland, 55 for residents of Malta and 10 for residents of Poland. There were less than five abortions (between 0-4)¹ for residents of Israel.

¹ For confidentiality reasons, the actual number cannot be disclosed. This is line with the Office for National Statistics’ guidance on the disclosure of abortion statistics (2005).

Source:

Statistical Bulletin, Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2006

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which 10 primary care organisations had the (a) highest and (b) lowest abortion rates in England per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 years in 2006. (148105)

The information requested is set out in the following table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women in (a) Essex Strategic Health Authority and (b) England and Wales had an abortion in 2006 who had already had (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four and (v) five previous abortions. (148299)

The information requested is set out in the following table: