§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children in each year since 1997 have died in swimming accidents in rivers. [117580]
§ John HealeyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Paul Marsden, dated 10 June 2003:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning how many children in each year since 1997 have died in swimming accidents in rivers. (117580)The most recent available mortality data are for the calendar year 2001. Figures for each year from 1997 to 2001 are given in the table below.
Number of deaths by accidental drowning and submersion1, children2, England and Wales, 1997 to 20013 Accidental drowning and submersion Calendar year All Swimming accidents in rivers 1997 34 0 1998 27 0 1999 43 1 2000 29 1 2001 21 0 1 The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (1CD-9)
codes for the years 1997 to 2000, and, for the year 2001, the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10)
codes. The codes used were as follows:
All accidental drowning and submersion—ICD-9 E910, ICD-10 W65-W74;
Swimming accidents occurring in rivers—ICD-9 E910.2-E910.3, ICD-10 W69.8 and W74.8, where 'river' and 'swimming' were
mentioned on the text of the death certificate.
2 Children were classified as deaths occurring to persons aged 10 to 15. 3 Figures are for deaths occurring in each calendar year.