§ 20. Mr. Shepherdasked the Minister of Health if he will state for the latest available year the mortality rates at one year in respect of children born north and south of Birmingham respectively.
§ Sir B. StrossAs the reply contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. ShepherdIs there any disparity between the two areas? If there is, why should there be?
§ Sir B. StrossWith some exceptions, there is a disparity. If a line is drawn through Birmingham, then these variations take place according to latitude north or south, with the infantile mortality rate becoming higher as one goes north with the exception of the four eastern counties in South Wales. The reasons are financial—or, if one 903 likes, economic—and social, cultural, and environmental. These are still being studied by many organisations.
§ Following are the figures:
§ INFANT MORTALITY RATES (DEATHS OF INFANTS UNDER ONE YEAR OF AGE PER 1,000 LIVE BIRTHS) IN THE REGIONS OF ENGLAND AND WALES, 1963
§ The following figures relate to the Standard Regions. In the case of Wales separate figures are available for South East Wales and the remainder of Wales and are shown accordingly.
| Midland Region | … | … | 20.9 |
| Northerly group | |||
| Northern | … | 22.71 | Group Total 23.2 |
| East and West Ridings | … | 24.2 | |
| North Western | … | 25.0 | |
| North Midland | … | 19.8 | |
| Wales II (remainder) | … | 19.6 | |
| Southerly group | |||
| Eastern | … | 16.7 | Group Total 19.5 |
| London and South Eastern | … | 19.6 | |
| Southern | … | 19.2 | |
| South Western | … | 18.6 | |
| Wales I (South East) | … | 26.4 | |
| England and Wales | … | … | 21.1 |