To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which years since 1977 the number of live births in England exceeded the number of births in England in 2006. (176885)

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

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 7 January 2008:

As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your request to indicate in which years since 1977 the number of live births in England exceeded the number of births in England in 2006. (176885)

There were 635,748 births in England in 2006. This was exceeded in each of the years from 1987 to 1993.