HC Deb 18 June 1997 vol 296 c163W
Mr. Bob Russell

To ask the Secretary of State for health what was the incidence of asthma(a) in the Colchester parliamentary constituency and (b) nationally in each year since 1987. [4178]

Ms Jowell

According to the available data provided by North Essex Health Authority, the number of in-patient finished consultant episodes for asthma, for people whose home address was in Colchester, was as follows:

  • 1994–95: 909
  • 1995–96: 1,023
  • 1996–97: 1,075

1996–97 is a forecast figure as data are only available until end of February 1997. Nationally, there are no comprehensive data on the number of people with asthma.

According to data collected by the Royal College of General Practitioners, the mean weekly incidence of new GP episodes of asthma per 100,000 population in England for each year since 1987 was as follows:

  • 1987: 27.2
  • 1988: 33.3
  • 1989: 34.0
  • 1990: 37.3
  • 1991: 46.3
  • 1992: 48.3
  • 1993: 50.3
  • 1994: 49.2
  • 1995: 40.3
  • 1996: 38.2