HC Deb 22 July 1997 vol 298 cc753-4
15. Mrs. Brinton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the rates of (a) stillbirth and (b) mortality amongst (i) manual and (ii) non-manual groups in the last year for which figures are available. [7958]

Mr. Boateng

In 1995, stillbirth rates for all registrations where manual or non-manual status could be assigned were 5.9 per 1,000 total births among manual groups and 4.5 per 1,000 total births among non-manual groups. Rates were thus more than 30 per cent. higher in manual groups.

The most robust figures for similar comparisons of overall mortality relate to men of working age. Over the period 1991 to 1993, death rates among men aged 20 to 64 were 524 per 100,000 in manual groups and 325 per 100,000 in non-manual groups. Rates were thus more than one and a half times higher in manual groups.

Mrs. Brinton

Does my hon. Friend agree that those are shocking and persistent inequalities and that we are reaching the end of 20th century, not mired in the Victorian era? Does he further agree that those terrible figures are a result of the policies of poverty, unemployment and deprivation promoted by the previous Administration? Furthermore, what strategies does he have to deal with them?

Mr. Boateng

I agree with my hon. Friend on all counts. I am happy to give what assistance I can. We are concerned to attack the root causes of deprivation and disadvantage. The proposals of my hon. Friend the Minister for Public Health will make a good start in that direction. We are determined to address the whole needs of the whole nation, in marked contrast to Opposition Members.

Dr. Brand

Will the Minister also look at the way in which provision for services provided by the professionals who are most concerned with these ghastly figures is targeted in the areas where it is most required? I am thinking of health visitors, district nurses and school nurses.

Mr. Boateng

I very much share the hon. Gentleman's concern. In terms of the preparation of women who are about to give birth, we must ensure that we support the health care professionals in reaching out to those women who currently are not given the support from their partners or families that is vital if people are to bring children into the world who are hale and hearty. We will indeed work with health care professionals to ensure that their work is most effective in tackling some of these appalling figures.