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Abortion

Volume 703: debated on Tuesday 22 July 2008

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 3 July (WA 49), what was the total cost to taxpayers for provision of in vitro fertilisation by primary care trusts following publication of the February 2004 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines; and what was the total monetary cost of abortions funded by the National Health Service over each successive year from 2004 to 2007, together with the proportion of the latter annual sum that was required to cover the cost of abortions taking place in the independent sector under NHS contract in each year. [HL4925]

Information on the total cost of the provision of in vitro fertilisation treatment by primary care trusts (PCTs) following the publication of the guideline by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in 2004 is not collected centrally.

Costs to the National Health Service for abortions performed in NHS hospitals are set out in the following table. The department does not hold complete data on the cost to the NHS for abortions performed in the independent sector under NHS contract.

Year

National total cost of medical and surgical terminations undertaken by NHS organisations (Schedule 4 of national reference costs)

2006-07

£62,886,000

2005-06

£78,588,000

2004-05

£67,637,000

Source: Schedule 4 (NHS trusts and PCTs combined) of the national schedule of reference costs notes:

1. The figures in the table above represent the number of finished consultant episodes multiplied by the national average unit cost.

2. National average unit costs are calculated on a weighted basis.

3. Schedule 4 2006-07 data are not directly comparable to 2005-06 and 2004-05 due to a change in the data collection.

4. Figures have not been adjusted for the market forces factor.

5. The data collection for 2007-08 is due to start in September 2008.