§ Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Health how the number of deaths and admissions to hospitals during December, 42W 1952, compare with those in the corresponding period of 1951 in Greater London and the country as a whole. respectively; and to what degree the increases can be attributed to fog.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThere were 15.114 deaths registered in Greater London in the five weeks ended 3rd January, 1953. compared with 9.125 in the corresponding period a year earlier. Figures for the country as a whole are not yet available. but there were 34.764 deaths registered in the 124 great towns in the five weeks ended 3rd January, 1953, compared with 25,821 in the corresponding period a year earlier. The only relevant figures of hospital admissions available are of those arranged by the Emergency Bed Service in Greater London: these were 6.852 in December, 1952. and 4.300 in December, 1951.
While a large part of the increases in Greater London can be attributed to fog, the trend of the figures for deaths does not suggest that the fog caused any substantial increase in the rest of the country.