Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to review the occurrence of sex-selective abortion.

The latest analysis on sex ratios at birth was published in October 2021 and found no evidence for sex selective abortions occurring in the United Kingdom between 2015 and 2019. In this period there were 105.5 male to 100 female births, which is below the accepted upper limit of 107.

Whilst this data shows that sex selection abortions are having no impact on birth ratios, it is possible that small numbers are occurring and we continue to remain vigilant, work with abortion providers and actively monitor the situation.