§ 5. Miss Quennellasked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to discover the causes for the regional differences in infant mortality in the United Kingdom.
§ The Minister of Health (Mr. Anthony Barber)The Registrar General is making a special study of infant deaths in England and Wales in 1964 by regions according to cause of death, social class, age of mother and the number of previous children.
§ Miss QuennellWill my right hon. Friend indicate when we may expect to have the reports?
§ Mr. BarberI am told that the results of the study are not likely to be available before the middle of 1966, but I can assure my hon. Friend that if it is possible to speed up the conclusions, or even to produce some sort of interim report, this will be done.
Mrs. SlaterDoes not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the worst infant mortality figures occur in areas of bad housing and, if we are not very careful, in areas of bad unemployment, because the two things go together? Would he ensure that there is greater haste and much closer liaison with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government with a view to this possible source of infant mortality being eradicated?
§ Mr. BarberMaking this special study this year is an important step forward, but I am bound to say from the experience I have gained in this matter since I have been at the Ministry of Health that there does not seem to be any simple explanation of the regional differences in infant mortality rates.