HC Deb 31 January 1984 vol 53 cc128-30
8. Mr. Greenway

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to have figures for the perinatal mortality rate for 1983; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Fowler

The 1983 figure for England will be available in May this year. Provisional data for the first three quarters of 1983 suggest a fall in the perinatal mortality rate, continuing the encouraging trend seen over the past four years.

Mr. Greenway

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the House will be pleased to hear those encouraging figures? Will he confirm that if certain improvements in perinatal care are made, fewer handicapped babies will be born? What steps is he taking to achieve those necessary improvements?

Mr. Fowler

There is an association between the perinatal mortality rate and the coincidence of congenital malformations. A great deal of research, including research by the Medical Research Council, is being undertaken. I emphasise the substantial improvement generally in this area, especially in 1980 and 1981.

Mrs. Renée Short

Although the overall position may have improved and the national figure has been reduced, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in some regions there has been a dramatic increase in the perinatal mortality level and that the Select Committee will examine that aspect to ascertain a reason for the change?

Mr. Fowler

That is a worrying trend. In one or two regions that is the position, but it is a fact also that perinatal mortality levels have dropped in four years by 25 per cent. That is a substantial improvement.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

I support the views expressed by the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short). I suggest to my right hon. Friend that if the Government implemented the recommendations of the Select Committee, which produced a full report on perinatal and neonatal mortality, the improved level of the past two years would be increased, to the benefit of parents and children.

Mr. Fowler

The Government welcomed the report of the Select Committee, of which my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) was a member. We shall continue to urge health authorities to implement those recommendations.

Mr. Carter-Jones

Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to improve the distribution in the care of low-weight pre-term babies?

Mr. Fowler

That is one of the most important areas, and we shall seek to do just that.

Mrs. Jill Knight

Will my right hon. Friend assure the House that babies who are born deformed in any way will be given the treatment and the food that they need in a desire to prolong their lives for as long as possible?

Mr. Fowler

I know of no evidence to suggest that that does not occur at present. If my hon. Friend has any such examples that she wants to bring to my attention, I shall examine them.

Mr. Eastham

Do not those statistics show that the poorest families are those most affected? Is not the maternity grant in the United Kingdom the lowest of such grants in the EEC countries?

Mr. Fowler

There are considerable variations throughout Europe. What the hon. Gentleman said about low income families is, regrettably, the case and one of the areas that we must improve.

Mr. Yeo

I add my congratulations to my right hon. Friend on the satisfactory figures that he reported for the first nine months of last year. Will he give fresh consideration to the introduction of enforceable minimum standards of antenatal and neonatal care as recommended by all the leading professional bodies in this subject and as backed up by a large number of voluntary organisations?

Mr. Fowler

We prefer that the health authorities act upon the guidance that we have given them, but I shall keep in mind what my hon. Friend said.

Mr. Meacher

Is the Secretary of State aware that the mortality rates in the first year of life of children of unskilled manual workers are four to five times greater than of children of professional and managerial parents? Is he aware that that and other key criteria of class inequality in health care were pinpointed three years ago by the Black report as an area for immediate Government action? Is it the case, therefore, that the Government's complete ignoring of that report during the whole of the past three years is one of the most deplorable aspects of their inadequate health record?

Mr. Fowler

As always, the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) is over-reacting in a thoroughly intemperate way. I have already said that I accept the first point——

Mr. Meacher

What about the Black report?

Mr. Fowler

We have instituted a whole range of the proposals in that report. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will accept, however, that a drop of 25 per cent. in perinatal mortality in the past four years is an all-time record which anyone with common sense should welcome.

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