HC Deb 03 February 1988 vol 126 cc664-5W
Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to investigate possible reasons for the rise in infant mortality in England and Wales in 1986.

Mrs. Currie

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Provan (Mr. Wray) on 26 January 1988 at column219.

Mr. Wray

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many post neonatal deaths there have been in the United Kingdom; and what are the comparable figures for(a) France, (b) Holland, (c) the Federal Republic of Germany and (d) Denmark, in each year since 1975.

Mrs. Currie

The latest available data are shown in the table.

United Kingdom France Holland Federal Republic of Germany Denmark
1977
Number 3,028 3,039 509 3,034 185
Rate 4.6 4.1 2.9 5.2 3.0
1978
Number 3,102 2,954 528 3,147 180
Rate 4.5 4.0 3.0 5.5 2.9
1979
Number 3,358 3,211 491 2,840 184
Rate 4.6 4.2 2.8 4.9 3.1
1980
Number 3,325 3,407 532 2,956 166
Rate 4.4 4.3 2.9 4.8 2.9
1981
Number 3,324 3,398 510 2,899 156
Rate 4.4 4.2 2.9 4.6 2.9
1982
Number 3,290 3,351 543 2,848 180
Rate 4.6 4.2 3.2 4.6 3.4
1983
Number 3,096 3,091 528 2,612 158
Rate 4.3 4.1 3.1 4.4 3.1
1984
Number 2,854 2,702 559 2,422 156
Rate 3.9 3.6 3.2 4.1 3.0
1985
Number 2,980 2,856 542 2,337 173
Rate 4.0 3.7 3.0 4.0 3.2
1986
Number 3,179 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Rate 4.2 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Postneonatal mortality: deaths at ages 28 days and over but under one year.

Sources:

World Health Statistics, 1986.

Annual Abstract of Statistics, 1987.

Eurostat Demographic Statistics, 1987.

n/a = Not available.

Forward to