HC Deb 26 January 1988 vol 126 cc219-21W
Mr. Wray

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the six health authorities with the highest percentage of post-neonatal deaths for each year since 1975.

Mrs. Currie

I shall let the hon. Member have such information as is available without incurring disproportionate costs as soon as possible.

Mr. Wray

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will order an urgent inquiry into the causes of the increase of post-neonatal deaths.

Mrs. Currie

The increase in the infant mortality rate in the latest figures (1986), produced by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, is small and may not be sustained. None the less, I have arranged for the matter to be further examined with the help of medical experts.

Mr. Hood

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of post-neonatal deaths for each year since 1975 as a percentage figure for each socio-economic group.

Mrs. Currie

[holding answer 25 January 1988.]: The exact information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the tables show the numbers and rates for post-neonatal deaths, and percentage distribution by social class for legitimate births for 1975 to 1985, and for jointly registered illegitimate births for 1975 and 1985 only. These statistics are from data which link the infant death records to their corresponding birth records. Information on social class for illegitimate births as a whole is not shown as this is not collected on a comparable basis to that for legitimate births.

Post-neonatal mortality by social class (legitimate births only)
England and Wales 1975–1985
Social class Number Per cent. of total Rate
1975
Total 2,500 100.0 4.6
I 127 5.1 3.0
II 324 13.0 3.3
IIIN 200 8.0 3.5
IIIM 949 38.0 4.4
IV 485 19.4 5.7
V 237 9.5 3.7
Other 178 7.1 7.5
1976
Total 2,198 100.0 4.1
I 107 4.9 2.6
II 280 12.7 2.8
IIIN 171 7.8 3.1
IIIM 827 37.6 4.0
IV 431 19.6 5.1
V 211 9.6 8.4
Other 171 7.8 8.8
1977
Total 2,079 100.0 4.0
I 120 5.8 2.9
II 305 14.7 3.0
IIIN 172 8.3 3.2
IIIM 712 34.2 3.7
IV 408 19.6 5.0
V 202 9.7 8.0
Other 160 7.7 8.7
1978
Total 2,200 100.0 4.1
I 135 6.1 3.0
II 326 14.8 3.1
IIIN 177 8.0 3.2
IIIM 855 38.9 4.2
IV 374 17.0 4.3
V 181 8.2 7.1
Other 152 6.9 8.9
1979
Total 2,326 100.0 4.1
I 129 5.5 3.3
II 341 14.7 2.8
IIIN 157 6.7 2.6
IIIM 813 35.0 3.9
IV 464 19.9 5.2
V 263 11.3 8.1
Other 159 6.8 9.0
1980
Total 2,266 100.0 3.9
I 132 5.8 3.2
II 384 16.9 3.1
IIIN 212 9.4 3.4
IIIM 748 33.0 3.5
IV 424 18.7 4.8
V 204 9.0 6.2
Other 162 7.1 8.1
1981
Total 2,167 100.0 3.9
I 128 5.9 3.1

Social class Number Per cent. of total Rate
II 329 15.2 2.7
IIIN 181 8.4 3.0
IIIM 777 35.9 3.9
IV 384 17.7 4.8
V 223 10.3 7.1
Other 145 6.7 7.7
1982
Total 2,131 100.0 4.0
107 5.0 2.6
II 390 18.3 3.3
IIIN 193 9.1 3.3
IIIM 734 34.4 3.9
IV 363 17.0 4.6
V 201 9.4 6.5
Other 143 6.7 7.1
1983
Total 2,045 100.0 3.9
I 96 4.7 2.5
II 353 17.3 3.0
IIIN 166 8.1 2.9
IIIM 694 33.9 3.7
IV 393 19.2 5.1
V 182 8.9 5.8
Other 161 7.9 7.7
1984
Total 1,793 100.0 3.4
I 88 4.9 2.2
II 305 17.0 2.6
IIIN 180 10.0 3.1
IIIM 593 33.1 3.2
IV 308 17.2 4.0
V 170 9.5 5.7
Other 149 8.3 6.7
1985
Total 1,781 100.0 3.4
I 95 5.3 2.4
II 335 18.8 2.8
IIIN 144 8.1 2.6
IIIM 592 33.2 3.2
IV 301 16.9 4.0
V 158 8.9 5.2
Other 156 8.8 6.2

Note: Post neonatal mortality rate: deaths at age 28 days and over but under 1 year per 1,000 live births.