asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many deaths from hypothermia were recorded in the area of the North-Western Regional Health Authority last winter.

In the six winter months to March 1976 there were among the residents in the North-Western Regional Health Authority area one death where hypothermia was recorded as the underlying cause and 51 deaths where hypothermia was mentioned as a contributory condition. I regret the information for the winter of 1976–77 will not be available for some months.