To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rates of (a) type 1 and (b) type 2 diabetes were (i) in each of the last 10 years and (ii) at the most recent date for which information is available; and how often and by what mechanism the rate is measured. (235021)

Information on the number of people with diabetes is available from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF).

Figures for the last 10 years are not available. However, the following table shows the number of people recorded on diabetes registers (including both type one and type two diabetes) from 2004-05 to 2007-08, from the QOF. It should be noted that patients will contribute to the figures in QOF only if they are registered with a general practice participating in the QOF. QOF data are collected annually and only include people with diabetes aged 17 or over. Figures are not available broken down into type one and type two diabetes. The latest prevalence data are from June 2008.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of new cases of diabetes identified in the last 12 months his Department estimates were due to (a) better diagnosis of existing diabetes and (b) more people developing diabetes. (235023)

In 2007-08, there were 2,088,335 people recorded as having diabetes on general practitioner practice registers. This is an increase of 126,359 on the previous year. It is not possible to identify how much of this increase is through improved diagnosis of the condition, and how much is through an increase in the number of people developing diabetes.