HC Deb 29 July 1974 vol 878 cc100-1W
Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average life expectancy for males and females in Great Britain and in each of the other member countries of the EEC, Sweden and Switzerland.

Dr. Owen

The expectations of life at birth are given in the following table:

Country Male Female Year
Great Britain 68.7 74.9 1970–72
Belgium 67.7 73.5 1959–63
Denmark 70.8 75.7 1969–70
France 68.6 76.1 1970
Federal Republic of Germany 67.6 73.6 1966–68
Republic of Ireland 68.6 72.8 1964–67
Italy 67.9 73.4 1964–67
Netherlands 71.0 76.7 1971
Sweden 71.7 76.5 1969
Switzerland 69.2 75.0 1960–70

Figures for countries other than Great Britain are the latest published and are taken from the United Nations Demographic Year Book 1972. Recent data for Luxembourg are not available.