HC Deb 03 December 2003 vol 415 c63W
Charles Hendry:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of (a) males and (b) females under the age of 30 died as a result of suicide in each of the last 10 years. [140787]

Ruth Kelly:

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Charles Hendry, dated 3 December 2003:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the proportion of (a) males and (b) females under the age of 30 who died as a result of suicide in each of the last 10 years. (140787)

The most recent available mortality data are for the calendar year 2002 and cover England and Wales. The attached table contains suicide figures for each year from 1993 to 2002.

Number of total deaths and proportion of deaths from suicide and injury undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted1, aged under 30 by sex, England and Wales. 1993 to 20022
All deaths Percentage due to suicide Age-standardised suicide rate3
Calendar year Males Females Males Females Males Females
1993 7,840 4,399 12.9 5.3 8.8 2.1
1994 7,642 4,134 14.0 5.2 9.4 1.9
1995 7,594 4,054 12.9 5.6 8.8 2.1
1996 7,411 4,077 12.4 5.6 8.5 2.1
1997 7,319 3,941 13.3 5.7 9.2 2.1
1998 6,983 3,811 14.0 6.0 9.4 2.2
1999 6,839 3,741 12.9 5.9 8.6 2.2
2000 6,472 3,566 12.7 6.0 8.0 2.1
2001 6.210 3,510 11.5 5.2 7.0 1.8
2002 6,128 3,287 11.2 6.1 6.8 2.0

1The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes E950 E959 and E980–E989 excluding E988.8 for the years 1990 to 2000, and, for the year 2001 and 2002, the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60–X84 and Y10–Y34 excluding Y33.9 where the Coroner's verdict was pending.

2 Figures are for deaths occurring per calendar year.

3 Age-standardised rate per 100,000 standardised to the European standard population.