§ Mr. Millanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the number of alcoholics in Scotland; and what the figures were 10 and 20 years previously.
§ Mr. YoungerThere is no completely agreed definition of alcoholics, but a 473W measurement which has been regarded by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys—OPCS—as giving a broad indication of prevalence is based on the numbers of deaths from cirrhosis of the liver. The figures below are derived from the number of such deaths, adjusted to take account of the proportion of deaths from cirrhosis not caused by alcohol, and the evidence about the proportion of alcoholics found to die from cirrhosis. The magnitude of these latter two factors is derived from a study carried out in England and Wales. On this basis the estimate by OPCS is as follows:
Estimated Number of Alcoholics in Scotland 1957 81,000 1967 78,000 1977 110,000