§ Mr. David Steelasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people died of hypothermia in the last three years for which figures are available; what percentage of the total was women over 60 years of age; and what percentage was men over 65 years of age.
§ Sir K. JosephThe total numbers of deaths in England and Wales attributed to three categories (a) excessive cold, (b) hunger, thirst, exposure and neglect or (c) hypothermia etc., as the underlying cause have declined from 215 in 1969 to 201 in 1970 and 161 in 1971. Of these numbers, the proportions who were women aged 60 or over were 49 per cent., 35 per cent., and 39 per cent., respectively, and men aged 65 and over were 20 per cent., 24 per cent., and 19 per cent., respectively.