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Abortion
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What rights parents with moral and ethical objections to abortion will have to ensure that their children are not given the abortion pill RU 486 to procure a medical abortion.[HL5179]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: It is highly desirable that a young woman facing an unplanned pregnancy will feel able to discuss this with her parents.
The legal framework for young people under 16 to consent to treatment, including abortion, was set out in the House of Lords ruling in 1985 in the case of Gillick v West Norfolk and Wisbech Health Authority and the Department of Health and Social Security.
A Young person under 16 can consent to treatment without parental involvement providing the health professional is satisfied that they are competent to understand fully the implications of any treatment and to make a choice of the treatment proposed. In relation to contraception services the health professional must establish that all of the following criteria are met: that the young person understands the health professional's advice; the health professional cannot persuade the young person to inform his or her parents or allow the doctor to inform the parents that he or she is seeking contraceptive advice; the young person is very likely to begin or continue having intercourse with or without contraceptive treatment; unless he or she receives contraceptive advice or treatment, the young person's physical or mental health or both are likely to suffer; and the young person's best interests require the health professional to give contraceptive advice, treatment or both without parental consent.
The principles set out above specifically refer to contraception but also apply to other treatments including abortion.
In practice, a young person consenting to abortion without parental involvement is unusual and would happen only in exceptional circumstances. In such a situation every effort would be made to help the young person involve another adult for support.
Baroness Masham of Ilton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many abortions were carried out in each of the last 10 years using the abortion drug RU 486 in:
What are their proposed target levels in 2002–03 for use of the abortion drug RU 486.[HL5278]
(a) England; (b) Wales; (c) Scotland; and (d) Northern Ireland; and[HL5277]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The number of abortions carried out in the last 10 years using the abortion drug RU 486 for residents of England and Wales are shown in the table:
Source: Statistics Division—Department of Health
Statistics for abortions performed in Scotland are a matter for the devolved administration. The Abortion Act does not apply to Northern Ireland.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' evidence-based guideline The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion (2000) recommends that women should be offered a choice of recommended methods for relevant gestation bands. It is expected that as medical abortion becomes more widely available more women will choose this method. No targets have been set for the use of medical abortion.
Lord Clement-Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The problem of mislabelling, under-declaring added water, and not disclosing hydrolysed chicken and pork proteins in frozen chicken breast was first reported by the Food Standards Agency in December 2001. The agency informed local authorities, the European Commission, the Dutch and Belgian authorities, as well as the Irish Food Safety Authority, who carried out a similar study. The Irish study published in May 2002 revealed similar results, but in addition found some samples containing undisclosed beef protein in chicken imported from the Netherlands.
The agency obtained a commitment from the Dutch authorities to put inspection of the poultry plants involved on their priority list. This action has been further reinforced by the European Commission, who in June threatened infraction proceedings against the Dutch government if the problem of mislabelling is not resolved. The United Kingdom study was carried out in close co-operation with local authority enforcement staff, and one UK wholesaler has been prosecuted as a result.
Earl Howe asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: A small number of school nurses have been trained to issue emergency contraception to pupils as one part of the wider support they provide within school based drop in clinics. The governing bodies of the individual schools concerned have taken this decision, after consultation with parents. All parents have received information about the service.
A pilot project is currently being developed to train pharmacists to provide emergency contraception under National Health Service arrangements. This is part of a wider scheme to improve access to emergency contraception by older women. The project is due to start in late autumn.
Emergency contraception is only provided to young people under 16 under medical supervision. This includes the supply by other health professionals, such as school nurses and community pharmacists, working to Patient Group Directions. A Patient Group Direction is a written instruction for the supply or administration of medicines to groups of patients without an individualised doctor's prescription.
Health professionals can provide contraception to young people under 16 provided they are satisfied that the young person is competent to understand fully the implications of any treatment and to make a choice of the treatment involved. Health professionals work within an established legal framework which involves assessing the young person's competence to understand the choices they are making and encouraging them to talk to their parents. All professionals are bound by their professional code of confidentiality. A young person's request for confidentiality is respected unless there are serious child protection issues.
These services aimed at improving early access to emergency contraception should be seen in the context of a much wider programme of work in the Exeter teenage pregnancy strategy. This includes helping young people to resist pressure to have early sex through improved sex and relationship education and involving parents and the wider community.
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many full-time equivalent chiropodists/podiatrists there are per thousand of the population in the National Health Service in England compared to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.[HL5500]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The information on health authorities in England employing chiropodists/podiatrists in rank order has been placed in the Library.
The number of chiropodists and podiatrists working in the National Health Service is increasing. The NHS Plan states that by 2004 there will be an extra 6,500 therapists over the 1999 baseline, chiropodists/podiatrists are included in this target. Since 1999 the number of chiropodists employed in the NHS in England has risen by 190 (6 per cent) and the number of places available for students to train as chiropodists has increased by 40 (12 per cent).
The comparison between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is in the table.
Notes:
Figures are rounded to two decimal places
(6)Population estimates are based on estimates from the General Registrar for Scotland at mid-June each year. A 2001 population estimate is not available yet therefore the 2000 estimate has been used instead.
Source:
Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census
NHS Staff Census—National Assembly for Wales
National Manpower Statistics from Payroll, ISD Scotland
Northern Ireland Human Resources Information System
Office for National Statistics
Year England Wales England & Wales
1991 1,022 42 1,064
1992 1,502 63 1,565
1993 3,719 224 3,943
1994 5,324 376 5,700
1995 6,983 685 7,668
1996 8,782 933 9,715
1997 10,345 956 11,301
1998 12,849 1,064 13,913
1999 14,735 1,284 16,019
2000 17,647 1,844 19,491
What action they are taking in response to reports of frozen chicken adulterated with beef protein powder being imported from the Netherlands.[HL5197]
Whether the morning-after pill is to be issued free of charge by pharmacies and school nurses to teenagers in Exeter, including those under 16, without parental consent or knowledge; and, if so, whether this practice is lawful.[HL5407]
Whether they will list National Health Service health authorities in rank order according to the number of full time equivalent chiropodists/podiatrists per thousand of the population; and[HL5499]
whole-time equivalents
England 0.06
Scotland(6) 0.13
Wales 0.07
Northern Ireland 0.09
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