§ 53. Mr. Spriggsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many deaths were caused by cancer in each of the last five years and up to the latest date for which this information is available; which areas or towns have the highest death rate from this disease in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir K. JosephDeaths in the United Kingdom from all forms of malignant cancer were as follows: 1968, 127, 726; 1969, 130, 097; 1970, 131, 160; 1971, 132, 527; 1972, 134, 582.
A comparison between regions and conurbations of age-adjusted death rates in 1971 shows that Glasgow, Merseyside and Tyneside had the highest while those for the remainder of Scotland, Greater London, and the South-East Lancashire, West Midland and West Yorkshire conurbations were above average. Although the number of deaths from this disease increased by about 5 per cent. between 1968 and 1972 some part of that increase, about half of that for men and a 65W little less for women, could be attributed to the ageing of the population in the period.