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Excess Winter Death Rates

Volume 264: debated on Monday 16 October 1995

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To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 20 January, Official Report, column 763, what methodology is used to calculate excess winter death rates; and if he will publish the figures for all deaths in the relevant periods in each year since 1989. [37311]

Excess winter deaths are defined as the number of deaths in the four months from December to March less the average of the numbers in the preceding autumn—August to November—and the following summer—April to July.The excess winter mortality index is the number of excess winter deaths expressed as a percentage of the average of the number of deaths in the autumn and winter periods.The numbers of deaths in each winter period in England and Wales since 1989 are as follows:

  • 1989–90: 225,790
  • 1990–91: 214,259
  • 1991–92: 209,509
  • 1992–93: 198,092
  • 1993–94: 208,425