§ Mr. Douglasasked the Minister of Health what was the death rate from tuberculosis in London, and outside of London, during each of the years 1938, 1939, 1940 and 1941?
§ Mr. E. BrownThe numbers of deaths from tuberculosis (all forms) in London 893W and in the remainder of England and Wales during the years in question were as follow—the figures being inclusive of deaths of non-civilians prior to the outbreak of war and exclusive thereafter:
London. Remainder of England and Wales. 1938 … … 2,861 22,634 1939 … … 2,875 22,722 1940 … … 3,005 24,866 1941 … … 2,895 25,378 The corresponding death rates per million population in 1938 and 1939 were 704 and 760 in London and 609 and 606 in the remainder of England and Wales. But for 1940 and 1941 comparable rates are not available on account of the heavy evacuation of London residents which attended the outbreak of war. Considerable numbers of London residents who were then in institutions outside London and died there during 1940 and 1941 would continue to count as London deaths while a large proportion of the population had been transferred and credited to areas outside London; and the rates obtained by relating such deaths and populations would be entirely misleading as indexes to the true incidence of tuberculosis in the two areas.