§ 3. Mr. Pittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the yearly perinatal mortality rate for the South-West Thames regional health authority from 1975 to 1981.
§ The Minister for Health (Dr. Gerard Vaughan)The perinatal mortality rates per thousand total births were as follows: 1975, 18.0; 1976, 14.8; 1977, 14.6; 1978, 13.5; 1979, 13.3; and in 1980, 10.8.
The figure for 1981 is, of course, not yet available.
§ Mr. PittGiven those figures and the recent report that there are only four intensive care cots for the South-West Thames regional health authority—which covers South-West London, and the whole of Surrey and West Sussex—and given a further report that my borough of Croydon has, with Newcastle and Tower Hamlets, one of the highest perinatal death rates in the country, will the Minister give an assurance that provision for the creation of the three centres recommended in the report will soon be under way and that sufficient funds will be provided?
§ Dr. VaughanProvision for the centres is going ahead. However, I think that the hon. Gentleman has misunderstood the figures, which show a considerable improvement in that part of London. The Croydon figures must be of particular interest to the hon. Gentleman. He will see from them one of the greatest improvements ever and that the figure is well below the national average.