§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list the percentage of births, live and stillborn, with birth weight(a) under 2,500g and (b) under 663W 3,000g (i) stillborn in the United Kingdom and (ii) live and stillborn in the 10 wards with the highest percentage of births under 2,500g; and if he will give these figures for each of the past five years; [78754]
(2) if he will list the percentage of births where birth weight was under 2,500g which were (a) stillborn and (b) live births for each of the past 10 years. [78789]
§ Ms HewittThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Frank Field, dated 30 March 1999:
As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary questions on births.The information requested for the percentage of all births with selected birthweights in the United Kingdom, 1993–1997, is shown in the attached table 1. Similar information for the ten wards with the highest percentages can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.The percentages of births where birth weight was under 2,500g which were stillborn and live are shown in the attached table 2.
Table 1 Stillbirths with a selected birthweight as a percentage of all births with a stated birthweight Residents of United Kingdom, 1993–1997 Stillbirths Total birth Under 2,500 grams Under 3,000 grams Numbers 1993 742,579 2,799 3,316 1994 736,015 2,814 3,335 1995 732,819 2,788 3,279 1996 733,287 2,759 3,259 1997 727,095 2,620 3,085 Percentages 1993 — 0.4 0.4 1994 — 0.4 0.5 1995 — 0.4 0.4 1996 — 0.4 0.4 1997 — 0.4 0.4 Sources:
Office for National Statistics
Information and Statistics Division, Scotland
DHSS, Northern Ireland
664W
Table 2 Number of live and stillbirths with birthweight under 2,500 grams.Percentage of births where birthweight was under 2,500 grams which were live and stillborn Residents of United Kingdom 1988–97 All births Under 2,500 grams Live births Under 2,500 grams Stillbirths Under 2,500 grams Numbers 19881 52,226 49,983 2,243 1989 52,432 50,284 2,148 1990 53,861 51,667 2,194 1991 54,256 52,110 2,146 1992 52,470 50,376 2,094 1993 52,837 50,038 2,799 1994 53,362 50,548 2,814 1995 55,549 52,761 2,788 1996 55,167 52,408 2,759 1997 55,785 53,165 2,620 Percentages 19881 — 96 4 1989 — 96 4
Table 2 Number of live and stillbirths with birthweight under 2,500 grams. Percentage of births where birthweight was under 2,500 grams which were live and stillborn Residents of United Kingdom 1988–97 All births Under 2,500 grams Live births Under 2,500 grams Stillbirths Under 2,500 grams 1990 — 96 4 1991 — 96 4 1992 — 96 4 1993 — 95 5 1994 — 95 5 1995 — 95 5 1996 — 95 5 1997 — 95 5 1 Great Britain only—Information for Northern Ireland is not available for 1988. Sources:
Office for National Statistics
Information and Statistics Division, Scotland
DHSS, Northern Ireland