§ Mr. Wardellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the perinatal and infant mortality rates, respectively, for each social class where babies were born into married households in England for each year since 1978.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe available information for such births in England is as follows:
Perinatal and Infant Mortality Rates by Social Class (Legitimate Births) England 1979 and 1980 Social Class of Father All ‡ I II III IV V Perinatal mortality rate* 1979 14.0 10.2 11.9 14.0 16.3 18.2 1980 12.9 9.7 11.1 12.8 15.0 17.5 Infant mortality rate† 1979 11.9 9.9 9.8 11.0 14.4 18.4 1980 11.2 8.9 9.4 10.5 13.6 16.5 * Stillbirths and deaths in the first week of life per thousand total births
† Deaths of infants under one year per thousand live births
‡ Includes residual social groups not ascribed to social classes I-V
Note: Social class data for 1979 and 1980 cannot be strictly compared with earlier years because of the introduction of the 1980 classification of occupations. The table below shows the effect of the change on England and Wales rates.
81W
Perinatal and Infant Mortality Rates in 1979 by 1970 and 1980 Social Class Classifications (Legitimate Births) England and Wales Social Class of Father All I II III IV V Perinatal mortality rate *14.0 10.7 11.8 14.0 16.4 19.0
Social Class of Father All I II III IV V *14.0 10.3 11.8 14.0 16.5 18.7 Infant mortality rate †11.8 9.7 9.7 11.1 14.1 19.9 †11.8 9.8 9.7 11.0 14.3 18.7 * Classified using 1970 classification of occupations
† Classified using 1980 classification of occupations