§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on regional variations in the incidence of(a) childhood allergies and (b) asthma; [112507]
(2) what assessment he has made of the number of children diagnosed with (a) allergies and (b) asthma in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) other European Union member states. [112508]
§ Jacqui SmithThat information is not available centrally as many child cases of asthma and allergies are diagnosed via out-patient and general practitioner practices. However the following table shows the number of finished consultant episodes for asthma and other allergies for 2001–02 in England for people up to 17 years.
Additionally we do not hold centrally information relating to the numbers of children suffering asthma in the European Union.
Primary diagnosis asthma and other allergies, age on admission 0–17 years—NHS hospitals, England by region of treatment,
2001–02
Asthma Other allergy
Y01 Northern and Yorkshire regional 3,603 397 Y02 Trent regional office 2,253 374 Y07 West Midlands regional office 2,686 924 Y08 North West regional office 4,862 613 Y09 Eastern regional office 2,497 130 Y10 London regional office 3,735 612 Y11 South East regional office 3,493 225 Y12 South West regional office 2,271 281 England 25,400 3,556