Nearly all packages of abortion pills that have been intercepted on their way to the island were sent to residential addresses.

In the past three years, 15 packages have been stopped by Customs and Excise officers. Two - intercepted in 2016 - were addressed to an hotel, but the others were all sent to residential addresses.

The information was revealed following a query submitted to the Treasury under freedom of information rules.

Although this year, according to the response, there had been only one package intercepted, last year the number stood at 10.

None was seized from 2012-14.

The debate on proposals to relax the island’s strict rules on abortion has ramped up this year, with a consultation on Dr Alex Allinson’s draft bill to make the rules less restrictive. He argues the current rules in the island force women to travel away for the procedure.

The consultation on Dr Allinson’s proposed bill closed yesterday (Monday).

Up to 14 weeks, abortion would be available on request. For 15 to 24 weeks, it would be available if a woman’s life or health was in danger, or if the developing foetus had a fatal abnormality or a serious developmental defect.

After 24 weeks, termination would be allowed only if a termination was necessary to prevent ’grave permanent injury’ to the pregnant woman or the continued pregnancy posed a greater threat to her life than if the pregnancy was terminated; or if there was a ’substantial risk’ of the baby dying after birth or suffering a serious handicap.

Any termination after 14 weeks would require a medical practitioner ’in good faith’ to verify the risk.

Statistics revealed that, in 2016, 88 women went from the island to England or Wales for terminations. That was the lowest figure in 15 years.

In response to a separate freedom of information request, the Department of Health and Social Care refused to reveal precisely how many abortions ’have legally taken place’ since the initial Termination of Pregnancy (Medical Defences) Act came into effect in 1992.

It did state that the numbers ’have consistently been fewer than 10 per year’. However, because the number was low, the department said it could not release the information due to the danger of identifying people, which would be in breach of data protection rules.

Another freedom of information request asked the Department of Health and Social Care to give figures for prosecutions ’under sections 71 and 72 of the Criminal Code 1872, and the Infanticide and Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1938’.

But the DHSC said it did not have the answer.

A spokesman said: ’While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department of Health and Social Care does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested.’

The spokesman suggested a request could be put to the Department of Home Affairs or the Attorney General’s office.