HC Deb 13 December 1991 vol 200 cc584-5W
Mr. Canavan

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, for each year since 1965, the number of children under the age of 16 years who have died in England and Wales while undergoing, or shortly after undergoing, general anaesthesia for dental treatment in(a) dentists' surgeries and (b) hospitals.

Mr. Dorrell

The available information is set out in the table.

Child deaths associated with dental treatment England and Wales
Year Number of child deaths including general anaesthesia Place of operation
Dentists surgery Hospital
1965 10 0 0
1966 2 2n/a n/a
1967 1 31 0
1968 4 4 0
1969 1 1 0
1970 4 21 1
1971 2 1 1
1972 3 3 0
1973 0 0 0
1974 4 21 2
1975 1 1 0
1976 4 3 1
1977 3 2 1
1978 1 1 0
1979 0 0 0
1980 2 1 1
1981 1 1 0
1982 1 1 0
1983 1 1 0
1984 1 1 0
1985 4 1 3
1986 2 2 0
1987 2 1 1
1988 0 0 0
1989 3 1 2
1 Figures relate to number of children,
(i) prior to 1982 under 15 years of age,
(ii) from 1982 under 16 years of age.
2 Information not always available on place of operation.
3 Nature of anaesthetic not always stated.

Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.