§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the total numbers of persons receiving treatment for venereal disease in each of the last 10 years and in each such year the numbers of such persons aged under 16, 18, 21 and 25 years; and how these figures compare with those of other countries.
§ Dr. OwenFigures are not available in the precise form requested. The following is the number of cases of post-pubertal gonorrhoea and early infectious syphilis, primary and secondary, reported from special clinics in England:
of early infectious syphilis—that is, primary and secondary syphilis—were reported from special clinics in England in people aged 20–24 inclusive. On the assumption that no individual was infected more than once in that year, this would represent 0.58 per cent. of the total population in this age group; the extent of such re infection is unknown.
The corresponding figures for 1972 were 18,028 cases of gonorrhoea and 286 cases of early infectious syphilis which on the same assumption represents 0.55 per cent. of the age group.
The only country for which comparative figures are immediately available is the United States of America where, in 1972, 1.85 per cent. of the age group were infected.