§ Mr. Stallardasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give 884W an estimate of the annual number of deaths certified as due to heart attacks, strokes, and infections but where death has been induced by hypothermia; and whether he is satisfied that the appearance of hypothermia as the cause of death on death certificates is a reliable way of judging its incidence.
§ Sir George YoungThe numbers of deaths in England and Wales where hypothermia was mentioned on the death certificate are as follows:
Underlying cause 1977 Ischaemic heart disease (ICD 410–414 58 Cerebrovascular disease (ICD 430–438 56 Influenza (ICD 470–474) — Pneumonia (ICD 480–486) 106 Other causes 374 Total 594 Comparable figures for earlier years appeared in the Official Report of 3 February 1978.—[Vol. 943, c. 365–6.]
Within the limitations of a general system of certifying causes of death I have no reason to suppose that these figures are unreliable.
§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many deaths from hypothermia were reported to the authorities in the years 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979 to date.
§ Sir George YoungThe international classification of diseases does not have a specific category for hypothermia. The total number of deaths in England and Wales in disease category 788.9—other specified symptoms not elsewhere classified—and in accident categories E901—excessive cold—and E904—hunger, thirst, exposure and neglect—where hypothermia was mentioned on the death certificate was 177 in 1977. The total number of deaths in all categories where hypothermia was mentioned was 594. Comparable figures for 1976 were 170 and 585, and for 1975 were 125 and 511. Similar figures are not yet readily available for 1978 or 1979.