§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children have died as a result of asthma symptoms in each of the last 10 years. [47458]
§ Ruth KellyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Tim Loughton, dated 10 April 2002:
253WAs National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question concerning the number of children dying as a result of asthma symptoms in each of the last 10 years. (47458)The latest available figures are for the 10 years 1991–2000. Figures for children aged under 16 are given in the table below.
Number of deaths occurring to children aged under 161with an underlying cause of death of asthma2in England and Wales in the calendar years 1991 to 2000 Calendar year3 Number of deaths 1991 40 1992 24 1993 21 1994 32 1995 18 1996 22 1997 22 1998 24 1999 24 2000 24 1Excludes deaths under 28 days. 2International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD9), code 493. 3Figures up to 1992 relate to death registrations in each calendar year. From 1993 they relate to deaths occurring each year.