HC Deb 02 May 1985 vol 78 cc233-4W
Mr. Freud

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will list the infant mortality rate for families of men serving with the British Army of the Rhine.

Mr. Lee

The infant mortality rates for the last three years for British forces Germany (including RAF Germany) are set out below. The figures include deaths of infants born with congenital diseases.

Year Infant Mortality Rate per cent. Neo-Natal Mortality BFG per cent. Post Neo-Natal Mortality BFG per cent.
1982 13.4 6.4 6.8
1983 10.5 4.6 5.5
1984 11.8 7.0 4.8

Mr. Freud

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to improve the infant mortality rate amongst families of the British Army of the Rhine.

Mr. Lee

All those dealing with infants and their families—paediatricians, general practitioners and SSAFA nursing services—are alerted to the problem so as to be able to take preventitive action. All babies leaving hospital are given an "at risk" score, which alerts the primary health care team to the probable degree of risk of infants. The effectiveness of this system can be seen by the falling postneonatal mortality rate.