§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the number and percentage of birth defects among live births in each of the past 10 years.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe information for 1982–91 (the latest year for which information is available) is shown in the table.
Number and percentage of birth defects among livebirths 1982–91 England and Wales Year Numbers1 Livebirths Percentage 1982 12,732 625,931 2.03 1983 13,444 629,134 2.14 1984 13,546 636,818 2.13 1985 12,949 656,417 1.97 1986 12,758 661,018 1.93 1987 13,129 681,511 1.93 1988 12,723 693,577 1.83 1989 12,191 687,725 1.77 1990 7,941 706,140 1.12 1991 6,889 699,217 0.99 1 The congenital malformation notification system is voluntary and is usually linked to the statutory system of birth notification to local
The 1992–93 figures will be available by December 1993. Figures are not available for future years. Regional health authorities gross expenditure £000 RHA 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 Northern 46,185 55,691 64,234 71,150 63,474 Yorkshire 70,463 70,801 76,187 94,300 65,094 Trent 73,401 81,274 77,848 111,458 174,284 East Anglian 27,606 29,435 29,440 42,595 45,648 North West Thames 50,360 59,999 65,161 102,830 57,619 North East Thames 55,687 76,422 69,967 80,198 189,715 South East Thames 63,769 66,668 76,734 77,299 250,032 South West Thames 103,166 110,282 131,677 123,865 149,077 Wessex 55,523 56,683 86,441 71,823 25,017 Oxford 33,377 43,945 50,165 56,482 49,363 South Western 41,357 45,207 54,589 63,013 86,185 West Midlands 106,307 82,442 112,625 137,810 111,014 Mersey 46,641 26,245 24,357 42.S80 23,961 North Western 88,869 88,340 87,673 91,032 65,151 Source: Annual accounts of regional health authorities. (Figures are not adjusted for inflation).
Notes to the table:
1. The figures for the years prior to 1991–92 vary between RHAs as regions were managed in an integrated way and the balance of management between RHAs and their respective district health authorities (DHAs) differed between regions. The figures were also affected by other factors including differences in the geographical size of regions, in the number of DHAs they included and in the extent to which RHAs directly managed operational services.
2. Following the implementation of the NHS reforms the role of RHAs is changing and this has a major impact on the figures for 1991–92. There are significant variations in the extent to which:RHAs have retained or devolved management, support and operational services functions and in the extent to which their costs are borne or recharged to users. Some RHAs are directly involved in the purchaser function while the figures for others include additional significant costs—notably the payment of funds for nursing and other staff training to health providers.