The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2008:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the conception rate for persons aged (a) under 14, (b) between 14 and 16 and (c) between 17 and 18 years per thousand women was in each year since 1997. (216671)
Available figures are estimates of the number of conceptions that resulted in a live birth, stillbirth or legal termination.
The number and rate of conceptions to girls aged (a) under 14, (b) 14 to 16 and (c) 17 to 18 years for England and Wales, 1997 to 2006 (the most recent year for which figures are available), are shown in the attached table. Figures for 2006 are provisional.
Under 14 14-16 17-18 Number Rate Number Rate Number Rate 1997 365 1.2 21,964 23.5 46,647 74.9 1998 423 1.3 21,831 23.5 49,804 78.7 1999 406 1.3 20,873 22.1 47,376 75.8 2000 398 1.2 20,870 21.8 46,261 75.4 2001 400 1.2 20,606 21.1 45,730 73.6 2002 390 1.2 20,960 21.2 46,511 72.7 2003 334 1.0 20,993 20.9 47,445 72.4 2004 337 1.0 20,914 20.6 48,320 72.7 2005 327 1.0 20,938 20.6 49,104 71.7 20061 290 0.9 20,553 20.2 49,149 71.5 1 Figures for 2006 are provisional. Note: Rate per 1,000 females.