§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he had taken in response to the findings in the National Advisory Committee on Nutrition Education Report of 1983 concerning the rise in alcohol intake and the increase in alcohol abuse.
§ Mr. John PattenThe document to which the hon. Member appears to be referring is the discussion paper on proposals for nutritional guidelines for health education in Britain which was prepared for the Health Education Council by the British Nutrition Foundation. The Department continues to maintain a close liaison with the Health Education Council on such matters.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many alcohol-related deaths have occurred in the United Kingdom since 1980 arising from cirrhosis of the liver; what proportion of such deaths were male; and what proportion were female.
§ Mr. John PattenThe table shows numbers and proportions of male and female deaths from chronic liver disease and cirrhosis registered in the United Kingdom in 1980 to 1983. Figures are shown separately for the numbers of deaths where alcohol was specifically mentioned in the cause of death but total figures are also supplied as some of the additional deaths are also associated with excessive drinking.
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Deaths from cirrhosis of the liver: numbers and proportions by sex, 1980 to 1983 Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis Total (ICD 571) With mention of alcohol (ICD 571.0–571.3) M F M F Numbers 1980 1,438 1,258 561 357 1981 1,459 1,268 611 362 1982 1,413 1,232 615 363 1983 1,378 1,301 656 416 Proportions (per cent.) 1980 53.3 46.7 61.1 38.9 1981 53.5 46.5 62.8 37.2 1982 53.4 46.6 62.9 37.1 1983 51.4 48.6 61.2 38.8
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many cases of foetal alcohol syndrome have been recorded during the last five years; and what further initiatives he plans to encourage women to refrain from drinking during pregnancy;
(2) what studies or surveys he plans to initiate on the appreciation by women of risks and harmful effects of alcoholic consumption during pregnancy; and what step 326W she will be taking to ensure that women receive during pregnancy adequate health education about alcohol consumption.
§ Mr. John PattenIn my reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 20 December at column216 I outlined the Department's advice on this matter and indicated that the Health Education Council, in the light of its expertise in health education, had been invited to join the Department in considering how best to ensure that the state of knowledge can be communicated to those who need it.
Two recent Health Education Council publications "That's the Limit—A Guide to Sensible Drinking" and the "Pregnancy Book" contain specific advice on alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the council continues to promote awareness of its advice at both the national and local level.
Two research studies on the effectiveness of alcohol education for pregnant women are currently under way and the Department has commissioned a survey on "Women and Drinking" from the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys which includes specific reference to drinking and pregnancy and which it is hoped will be published in 1985.
There are currently no reliable statistics available on the incidence of foetal alcohol syndrome.