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9 May 2008 : Column 1249W—continued

Sudan: Census

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the progress of Sudan’s fifth census which began on 22 April; and what help he is offering to ensure its successful completion. [203830]

Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development discussed progress on the census in their meeting on 28 April with Sudanese Foreign Minister Deng Alor. Officials from both the Government of National Unity and the Government of South Sudan have reported that the census is going well, although there have been some logistical difficulties and some communities have not co-operated with enumerators. Movements in Darfur have spoken out against the census, although initial reports suggest that enumeration
9 May 2008 : Column 1250W
has taken place in many areas of Darfur. At the UK’s suggestion, language in support of the census and all parties’ acceptance of the results was included in UN Security Council Resolution 1812 of 30 April for renewal of the UN Mission in Sudan mandate.

Tibet: Human Rights

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of China to provide access for human rights organisations to monitor the human rights situation in Tibet. [203473]

Dr. Howells: We believe that the Chinese Government should lift restrictions on access to the region which would aid an independent assessment of the situation. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised the issue of access to Tibet in his telephone call to Chinese Premier Wen on 19 March. We continue to encourage China to issue an open invitation to all UN Special Rapporteurs to visit China, including the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief.

Treaty of Lisbon

Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with EU institutions on the process of ratification of the Lisbon treaty, including in member states where the ratification process is by referendum; and if he will make a statement. [204730]

Mr. Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has regular contact with EU institutions on a variety of issues, including the Lisbon treaty. It is up to all 27 member states to ratify the Lisbon treaty in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements.

So far, 13 countries have ratified the Lisbon treaty.

Only one member state (the Republic of Ireland) out of 27 member states is planning to hold a referendum. This will take place on 12 June 2008.

Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Irish Government on the process of ratification of the Lisbon treaty; and if he will make a statement. [204731]

Mr. Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have regular contact with our Irish counterparts on the full range of European issues, including the Lisbon treaty.

USA: Navy

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of the US naval presence in the Mediterranean sea on the surrounding regions. [202373]

Mr. Jim Murphy: The US naval presence in the Mediterranean has long had a positive and welcome stabilising effect in the region, due in part to the extent to which it has worked together closely with other allies and partners, including the UK.


9 May 2008 : Column 1251W

Health

Abortion

Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on what grounds each abortion took place in non-NHS hospitals or institutions at (a) 16 weeks, (b) 17 weeks, (c) 18 weeks, (d) 19 weeks, (e) 20 weeks, (f) 21 weeks, (g) 22 weeks, (h) 23 weeks and (i) 24 weeks gestation in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [204012]

(2) To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what grounds each abortion took place in NHS hospitals at
9 May 2008 : Column 1252W
(a) 16 weeks, (b) 17 weeks, (c) 18 weeks, (d) 19 weeks, (e) 20 weeks, (f) 21 weeks, (g) 22 weeks, (h) 23 weeks and (i) 24 weeks gestation in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [204013]

Dawn Primarolo: The information in the following table shows the grounds for abortions (at 16-24 weeks gestation) that were funded by the national health service and took place on NHS premises; funded by the NHS and took place in the private sector under contract ‘NHS Agency’); and were not funded by the NHS.

Abortions by gestation 16-24 weeks, grounds and purchaser, residents of England and Wales, 1997-2006
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23( 1) 24

2006

NHS hospital

Section 1(1)(a) and other grounds except Section 1(1)(d)

459

295

(2)276

(3)175

(4)182

(5)212

(6)152

(7)128

0

Section 1(1)(d)

110

114

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

34

NHS Agency

Section 1(1)(a) and other

1,264

1,160

953

837

660

490

383

328

0

Private

Section 1(1)(a) and other

169

138

128

99

90

52

81

54

0

All purchasers

Section 1(1)(a) and other except Section 1(1)(d)

1,242

1,021

787

573

485

398

0

Section 1(1)(d)

115

90

145

181

131

112

34

Total

2,002

1,707

1,357

1,111

932

754

616

510

34

‘—’ Suppressed value where a presented value, if used with previously published data, would reveal a total less than 10 (between 0 and 9).
(1) Includes 24 weeks and 0 days.
Note:
Previously published data for ‘All purchasers’ for 2006 for gestations of 18-24 weeks is included within this table for reference. The previous publication of these data means that NHS Hospital abortion figures cannot be shown by grounds for 18-23 weeks.


9 May 2008 : Column 1253W

9 May 2008 : Column 1254W

9 May 2008 : Column 1255W

9 May 2008 : Column 1256W

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23( 1) 24

2005

NHS hospital

Section 1(1)(a) and other grounds except Section 1(1)(d)

436

264

118

62

37

28

28

13

0

Section 1(1)(d)

99

121

84

85

149

183

140

102

38

NHS Agency

Section 1(1)(a) and other

1,250

1,069

883

812

644

417

300

175

0

Private

Section 1(1)(a) and other

187

185

136

106

95

72

71

46

0

Total

1,972

1,639

1,221

1,065

925

700

539

336

38

2004

NHS hospital

Section 1(1)(a) and other grounds except Section 1(1)(d)

502

278

132

72

42

25

25

11

0

Section 1(1)(d)

101

108

106

103

161

163

116

100

41

NHS Agency

Section 1(1)(a) and other

1,251

1,383

1,046

759

542

514

519

300

0

Private

Section 1(1)(a) and other

262

229

211

91

69

76

75

52

0

Total

2,116

1,998

1,495

1,025

814

778

735

463

41

2003

NHS hospital

Section 1(1)(a) and other grounds except Section 1(1)(d)

477

325

176

93

36

19

18

17

0

Section 1(1)(d)

98

119

109

125

147

149

119

107

41

NHS Agency

Section 1(1)(a) and other

1,235

1,428

1,186

678

522

531

472

325

0

Private

Section 1(1)(a) and other

259

268

234

108

78

80

90

81

0

Total

2,069

2,140

1,705

1,004

783

779

699

530

41

2002

NHS hospital

Section 1(1)(a) and other grounds except Section 1(1)(d)

569

297

186

110

68

23

(8,12)144

(9,12)98

0

Section 1(1)(d)

103

93

115

97

148

161

(8)(,12)

(9)(,12)

33

NHS Agency

Section 1(1)(a) and other

1,178

1,238

886

578

497

438

446

341

0

Private

Section 1(1)(a) and other

289

308

234

121

69

108

121

94

0

Total

2,139

1,936

1,421

906

782

730

711

533

33

2001

NHS Hospital

Section 1(1)(a) and other grounds except Section 1(1)(d)

530

292

148

98

52

17

(10,12)95

(11,12)78

0

Section 1(1)(d)

72

112

103

103

164

143

(10)(,12)

(11)(,12)

24

NHS Agency

Section 1(1)(a) and other

1,035

1,096

814

502

391

440

454

308

0

Private

Section 1(1)(a) and other

325

319

253

154

133

123

149

125

0

Total

1,962

1,819

1,318

857

740

723

698

511

24

2000

NHS Hospital

Section 1(1)(a) and other grounds except Section 1(1 )(d)

612

303

193

87

43

21

17

12

0

Section 1(1)(d)

78

105

128

145

194

146

116

90

22

NHS Agency

Section 1(1)(a) and other

1,021

898

727

417

338

329

337

248

0

Private

Section 1(1)(a) and other

392

345

285

207

135

146

158

125

0

Total

2,103

1,651

1,333

856

710

642

628

475

22

1999

NHS hospital

Section 1(1)(a) and other grounds except Section 1(1)(d)

607

271

187

103

48

39

16

14

0

Section 1(1)(d)

90

93

118

178

204

122

101

86

25

NHS Agency

Section 1(1)(a) and other

850

822

662

396

310

278

286

239

0

Private

Section 1(1)(a) and other

410

383

318

210

160

152

181

140

0

Total

1,957

1,569

1,285

887

722

591

584

479

25

1998

NHS hospital

Section 1(1)(a) and other grounds except Section 1(1)(d)

600

270

197

77

60

22

20

13

0

Section 1(1)(d)

77

89

151

176

206

124

101

72

11

NHS Agency

Section 1(1)(a) and other

880

887

643

375

288

284

237

195

0

Private

Section 1(1)(a) and other

434

424

337

204

141

159

161

151

0

Total

1,991

1,670

1,328

832

695

589

519

431

11

1997

NHS hospital

Section 1(1)(a) and other grounds except Section 1(1)(d)

554

286

179

75

38

26

13

10

0

Section 1(1)(d)

86

111

129

184

211

144

103

61

24

NHS Agency

Section 1(1)(a) and other

781

757

575

320

183

227

210

160

0

Private

Section 1(1)(a) and other

496

456

303

258

146

156

187

144

0

Total

1,917

1,610

1,186

837

578

553

513

375

24

(1) Includes 24 weeks and 0 days.
(12) Section 1(1)(a) and other grounds is grouped with Section 1(1)(d) for gestations 22 and 23 weeks due to small numbers (between 0 and 9).
Notes:
1. Where Section 1(1)(a) is grouped with other grounds all totals for other grounds are less than 10.
2. Section 1(1)(a): that the pregnancy has not exceeded its twenty-fourth week and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.
3. Section 1(1)(d): 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.

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