Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) NHS and (b) independent premises are regulated for (i) surgical abortions only, (ii) medical abortions only and (iii) both surgical and medical abortions.

No assessment has been made by the Department of the proportion of the resident population of England and Wales who live within five, 10 and 15 miles of a registered National Health Service or independent abortion clinic. Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for ensuring the appropriate provision of abortion services in their area based upon the needs of the resident population.

NHS hospitals do not require approval from the Secretary of State for Health to provide abortion services. The information requested for approved independent sector abortion premises is provided in the following table:

The Department has made no estimate of the number of illegal abortions before 24 weeks gestation. Abortion procured outside the criteria set by the Abortion Act 1967 is a criminal offence. Police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service are responsible for investigating and bringing prosecutions in cases of suspected illegal abortion.