Cardiovascular Diseases

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many and what proportion of all deaths were from (a) circulation diseases and (b) cancers in each of the last 15 years. (234501)

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many and what proportion of all deaths were from (a) circulation diseases and (b) cancers in each of the last 15 years. (234501)

The tables attached provide the numbers of deaths and proportion of all deaths, with an underlying cause of (a) circulatory disease (table 1) and (b) cancer (table 2) for the years 1993 to 2007 (the latest year available).

*Table 1. Number, and proportion of deaths where circulatory disease was the underlying cause of death, in England and Wales, 1993 to 2007*^{1, 2}
	Deaths	Percentage
1993	258,012	45
1994	241,551	44
1995	241,871	43
1998	238,855	42
1997	229,585	41
1998	225,811	41
1999	218,062	39
2000	207,618	39
2001	212,354	40
2002	209,948	39
2003	205,651	38
2004	190,779	37
2005	183,674	36
2006	174,637	35
2007	170,338	34
¹ Cause of death for circulatory disease was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 390-459 for 1993 to 2000 and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes I00-I99 for 2001 to 2007. The introduction of ICD-10 in 2001 means that the number of deaths from this cause, before 2001 are not completely comparable with later years. ² Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

*Table 2. Number, and proportion of deaths where cancer was the underlying cause England and Wales, 1993 to 2007*^{1, 2}
	Deaths	Percentage
1993	140,595	24
1994	139,455	25
1995	138,671	25
1996	138,092	25
1997	135,771	24
1998	136,289	25
1999	133,749	24
2008	132,421	25
2001	136,234	26
2002	137,051	26
2003	136,030	25
2004	134,873	26
2005	134,894	26
2008	135,635	27
2007	136,804	27
¹ Cause of death for cancer was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 140-208 for 1993 to 2000 and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C00-C97 for 2001 to 2007. The introduction of ICD-10 in 2001 means that the number of deaths from this cause, before 2001 are not completely comparable with later years. ² Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Volume 483: debated on Tuesday 18 November 2008