To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2010, Official Report, columns 382-3W, on abortion, what the evidential basis is for the statement that additional funding for contraception in the last two years has contributed to a decrease in abortion rates. (319957)

The Department invested additional funds in contraception services in April 2008 (£12.8 million), September 2008 (£10 million) and April 2009 (£11.6 million). In each of the last five quarters (July 2008 to September 2009), the abortion rate was lower than the corresponding quarter in the preceding year. As these decreases in the abortion rate coincide with the period in which the additional investment was available, we believe that the additional investment, and other measures we have taken, has made a contribution towards the decreases in the abortion rate.