§ Mr. ÖpikTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many suicides there have been of individuals identified with the agricultural industry in each month since January 2000; and if he will make a statement. [158719]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Lembit Öpik, dated 24 April 2001:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question about the number of suicides of those identified with the agriculture industry in each month since January 2000 (158719).The figures requested are not yet available. Two sets of annual mortality data are routinely released each year. Figures for deaths registered during 2000 are due to be published in May 2001. Figures for deaths which occurred during 2000 are due to be published in October 2001. For some deaths, including suicides, where the death 229W has been referred to the coroner, there is a delay between the occurrence of the death and the subsequent registration. As a result of this delay, figures based on registration data do not provide an accurate indication of the number of suicides which occur each month.