To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many drug-related deaths were recorded in (a) Suffolk, (b) Bedfordshire, (c) Cambridgeshire, (d) Essex, (e) Hertfordshire and (f) Norfolk in each year since 1997. (134654)

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 1 May 2007:

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many drug-related deaths were recorded in (a) Suffolk, (b) Bedfordshire (c) Cambridgeshire, (d) Essex, (e) Hertfordshire and (f) Norfolk in each year since 1997. I am replying in her absence. (134654)

Available figures relate to the number of deaths from poisoning with any drug or medicine or certified as drug abuse or dependence. They do not include deaths which may be indirectly related to drug use, such as blood-borne viral infections or transport accidents. The most recent year for which figures are now available is 2005. The table below shows the number of deaths for which the underlying cause was drug-related poisoning, by selected county for the years 1997 to 2005.

ONS recently revised statistics on drug poisoning deaths to include all deaths registered in the calendar year,* instead of deaths occurring in the year. This takes account of late registrations which would otherwise be excluded.

* Office for National Statistics (2007) Deaths related to drug poisoning: England and Wales. 1993-2005. Health Statistics Quarterly 33. S2-S8.