§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report, the available statistics regarding the incidence of severe brain damage or death following an attack of the disease of whooping cough.
§ Mrs. CurrieStatistics are not available year by year on the incidence of severe brain damage following an attack of whooping cough but the national childhood encephalopathy study (1976 to 1979) noted 17 previously normal children from a total of 924 who had a history of whooping cough prior to admission to hospital for acute neurological disease. Reported deaths following whooping cough in England and Wales since 1981 are:
Number 1981 5 1982 14 1983 5 1984 1 1985 5 11986 4 1 To 31 October.