HC Deb 11 November 1997 vol 300 cc507-9W
Mr. Clappison

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) adults and (b) children have committed suicide using paracetamol in each of the last 10 years. [14279]

Mrs. Helen Liddell

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. James Clappison dated 11 November 1997: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me, as Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), to reply to your recent question asking how many adults and children have committed suicide using paracetamol in each of the last 10 years. The information is given in the following table.

Deaths (a) from suicide and (b) undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted, where paracetamol is mentioned on the death certificate, England and Wales, 1993–1996
(a) Suicide
Paracetamol without mention of other drugs Age Paracetamol with mention of other drugs Age
Year 0–14 15–19 20 and over 0–14 15–19 20 and over
1993 —(—) —(—) 67(7) —(—) 7(—) 162(35)
1994 —(—) —(—) 68(5) —(—) 3(1) 141(19)
1995 —(—) 1(—) 75(2) 1(—) 3(—) 141(17)
1996 —(—) —(—) 54(6) —(—) 7(—) 153(16)
(b) Undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted
Paracetamol without mention of other drugs Age Paracetamol with mention of other drugs Age
Year 0–14 15–19 20 and over 0–14 15–19 20 and over
1993 —(—) 2(—) 60(6) —(—) 3(—) 65(19)
1994 1(—) —(—) 51(5) 1(1) 3(—) 91(21)
1995 —(—) 2(—) 69(—) 1(—) 7(1) 110(29)
1996 —(—) 3(—) 51(3) —(—) 4(—) 90(19)
The figures in brackets are those deaths where there was a mention of alcohol. These figures are included in the non-bracketed figures. Data prior to 1993 can be obtained from Tables 10 and 11 in Mortality statistics: accidents and violence, series DH4 (1987–89) and Tables 10 and 11 in Mortality statistics; injury and poisoning, series DH4 (1990–92). Copies are available in the House of Commons library. The inclusion of a substance in the above tables (and in Tables 10 and 11) does not imply that it is necessarily toxic; and, where two or more substances are listed together, the contribution, if any, of each to the death is unknown. Even where one substance is listed alone there may well be other factors with an important bearing on the death. Since 1993, the ONS has held all deaths information electronically. The data were extracted using a "text search" facility, focusing on paracetamol and a list of paracetamol-containing compounds. Although provision was made to take into account spelling errors in the recording of these compounds, the figures should be seen as estimates because it cannot be guaranteed that every single case has been identified. The ONS is actively exploring, with interested parties, ways to improve these data.

Mr. Clappison

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many accidental deaths of(a) adults and (b) children have been caused by paracetamol in each of the last 10 years. [14280]

Mrs. Liddell

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. James Clappison, dated 11 November 1997: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me, as Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), to reply to your recent question asking how many accidental deaths of adults and children have been caused by paracetamol in each of the last 10 years. The information requested is shown in the following table.

Deaths from accidental poisoning where paracetamol is mentioned on the death certificate, England and Wales, 1993–96
Paracetamol without mention of other drugs Age Paracetamol with mention of other drugs Age
Year 0–14 15–19 20 and over 0–14 15–19 20 and over
1993 —(—) 1(—) 43(9) 1(1) 1(—) 40(17)
1994 2(—) 2(-) 36(10) 1(—) 4(1) 49(15)
1995 —(—) 1(—) 34(6) —(—) 2(1) 46(20)
1996 1(—) 3(1) 36(5) —(—) 6(1) 43(11)
The figures in brackets are those deaths where there was a mention of alcohol. These figures are included in the non-bracketed figures. Data prior to 1993 can be obtained from Tables 10 and 11 in Mortality statistics: accidents and violence, series DH4 (1987–1989) and Tables 10 and 11 in Mortality statistics: injury and poisoning, series DH4 (1990–1992). Copies are available in the House of Commons Library. The inclusion of a substance in the above table (and in Tables 10 and 11) does not imply that it is necessarily toxic; and, where two or more substances are listed together, the contribution, if any, of each to the death is unknown. Even where one substance is listed alone there may well be other factors with an important bearing on the death. Since 1993, the ONS has held all deaths information electronically. The data were extracted using a "text search" facility, focusing on paracetamol and a list of paracetamol-containing compounds. Although provision was made to take into account spelling errors in the recording of these compounds, the figures should be seen as estimates because it cannot be guaranteed that every single case has been identified. The ONS is actively exploring. with interested parties, ways to improve these data.