§ Mr. Georgeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the numbers per thousand population for (a) Walsall, (b) the average for West Midlands county, (c) the average for London boroughs and (d) the average for England and Wales, of the following: general practitioners, health visitors; hospital nurses and mid-wives; social workers—qualified and unqualified—and dentists.
§ Mr. MoyleThe numbers of children notified as being born with congenital malformations for the years 1972–76 are:
1972 … … … 14,412 1973 … … … 13,353 1974 … … … 12,730 1975 … … … 12,230 1976 … … … 12,384 This represents a rate per 10,000 total births of:
615W
1972 … … … … 196.3 1973 … … … … 195.3 1974 … … … … 196.7 1975 … … … … 200.6 1976 … … … … 209.9 Some congenital malformations are minor blemishes or abnormalities which are not likely to cause permanent handicap. The notification of congenital malformations observable at birth is voluntary and the apparent increase in the numbers of babies born with congenital malformations may well be due to better reporting over the years. The whole system of notification and analysis of congenital malformations is kept under constant review, and I am assured that we should have adequate warning were there to be a significant increase in the incidence of serious congenital handicaps.