To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many deaths attributed to methadone addiction were recorded in (a) Doncaster, (b) Barnsley and (c) South Yorkshire in each of the last five years. (236239)

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 deaths attributed to methadone addiction were recorded in (a) Doncaster, (b) Barnsley and (c) South Yorkshire in each of the last five years. (236239)

The attached table provides the numbers of deaths for which the underlying cause was drug poisoning and methadone was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate in South Yorkshire county from 2003 to 2007 (the latest year available). The information collected at death registration does not specify whether the deceased was addicted to the substances mentioned as contributing to the death.

Figures cannot be provided for the metropolitan districts of Doncaster and Barnsley as these data are judged to be too detailed to preserve anonymity in death statistics.