HC Deb 10 March 1999 vol 327 cc290-3W
Dr. Godman

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will breakdown the excess winter deaths in England and Wales for each of the last three years by socio-economic class, indicating(a) all ages, (b) those aged 60 to 70 years and (c) those aged 70 years and over. [75451]

Ms Hewitt

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Tim Holt to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 10 March 1999As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on the breakdown of excess winter deaths. The information requested is shown in the attached table. Excess winter deaths are defined as the difference between the number of deaths during the four winter months (December to March) and the average number of deaths during the preceding autumn (August to November) and the following summer (April to July).

Excess winter deaths 1, England and Wales, 1994/95–1996/97
Winter 1994/95 Winter 1995/96 Winter 1996/97
Social Class men women men women men women
Ages 16–74
I Professional 190 0 80 20 100 10
II Managerial and technical occupations 820 140 1,030 370 860 460
IIInm Skilled occupations—non-manual 230 260 340 590 490 710
IIIm Skilled occupations—manual 1,810 180 2,130 190 1,660 280
IV Partly skilled occupations 1,110 100 1,160 370 1,270 520
V Unskilled occupations 400 180 520 340 600 340
Armed forces 10 10 60 0 -20 0
Inadequately described occupations 30 -20 30 10 -20 0
Unoccupied 210 1,900 110 2,490 300 2,330
Total 4,810 2,750 5,470 4,380 5,230 4,660
Ages 60–69
I Professional 30 -10 10 10 40 0
II Managerial and technical occupations 250 80 400 120 430 180
IIInm Skilled occupations—non-manual 110 70 110 160 150 270
IIIm Skilled occupations—manual 670 60 860 90 700 120
IV Partly skilled occupations 390 60 400 160 570 210
V Unskilled occupations 230 60 220 160 180 160
Armed forces 0 10 30 0 –10 0
Inadequately described occupations 20 –20 20 10 –10 –10
Unoccupied 50 570 30 850 70 940
Total 1,750 870 2,090 1,550 2,120 1,880
Ages 70–74
I Professional 70 10 50 10 50 –10
II Managerial and technical occupations 270 40 350 150 260 120
IIInm Skilled occupations—non-manual 50 130 170 170 220 280
IIIm Skilled occupations—manual 580 50 790 80 570 110
IV Partly skilled occupations 320 50 380 140 510 160
V Unskilled occupations 160 70 150 70 280 130
Armed forces 10 0 10 0 10 0
Inadequately described occupations 10 –10 20 10 –10 10
Unoccupied 50 740 60 940 60 860
Total 1,510 1,090 1,970 1,580 1,940 1,660
1 As the number of excess winter deaths is a crude measure of the increase in mortality associated with winter conditions, the numbers of excess deaths have been rounded to the nearest 10.

Social Class of the deceased is not available for deaths to those aged over 75. However, around 75 per cent. of excess winter deaths occur in this age group. Children under 16 can be assigned to a Social Class at death on the basis of their parent(s) occupation. Deaths in this age group have been excluded. Figures are shown separately for men and women as the distribution of deaths by Social Class differs markedly; this is because occupation is poorly recorded for women at death registration.

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