§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will evaluate the product moment correlation coefficient between the average annual number of unemployed in Scotland and deaths from alcoholic cirrhosis in each year since 1970; and what is the level of significance of the coefficient;
(2) if he will evaluate the product moment correlation coefficient between the average annual number of unemployed in Scotland and admissions to mental hospitals in each year since 1970; and what is the level of significance of the coefficient.
§ Mr. FairgrieveIt is improbable that there is any relationship between the average number of unemployed in Scotland in any one period and deaths from alcoholic cirrhosis during the same period since this is a condition that takes many years to develop.
There are many factors bearing on rates of admission to mental hospital that cannot readily be separated.
Because of the need to correct for the effects of trend in a time-series correlation, a simple product moment correlation coefficient would not be appropriate in these instances. If, however, this correction is made, the coefficient between the average number of unemployed in Scotland since 1970 and deaths from alcoholic cirrhosis is +0.05; and for admissions to mental hospitals it is -0.30. Neither of these is statistically significant.