HC Deb 04 July 2003 vol 408 cc535-6W
Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the estimated change in the occurrence of congenital heart disease is over the next 10 years; [122394]

(2) what the estimated change in the number of children born with congenital heart disease is over the next 10 years. [122395]

Dr. Ladyman

It is estimated that for every thousand live births there will, sadly, be eight children born with congenital heart disease. This rate is not expected to increase. However the Government Actuary's forecast for the number of live births predicts a small increase in the birth rate over the next ten to fifteen years. This means that the overall incidence of congenital heart disease is set to rise slightly; that is, from 4,577 children in the year 2002 to an estimated 4,723 children to be born in 2014. The prevalence of congenital heart disease; that is, the total number of people living with the disease, will continue to rise, as treatments continue to become more successful.