Childbirth: Shropshire

Philip Dunne asks the Secretary of State for Health about change in rates of birth to UK-born and foreign-born mothers in Shropshire.

Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage change in rates of birth to (a) UK-born mothers and (b) foreign-born mothers has been in the Shropshire County Primary Care Trust area since 2001. [288431]

Angela E. Smith: I have been asked to reply.

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

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:

As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question about what the percentage change in rates of birth to (a) UK born mothers and (b) foreign born mothers has been in the Shropshire County Primary Care Trust area since 2001. (288431)

In order to calculate the requested birth rates, population estimates for UK born and foreign born females by five-year age group for Shropshire County PCT are required. These estimates are only available at the national level.

Estimated birth rates for UK born and foreign born women in England and Wales have been published for 2004-2007 (Table 1). These rates show that fertility among UK born women has risen since 2004 while fertility among foreign born women, although higher, has remained relatively unchanged.

The number of live births to UK born and foreign born mothers are available from birth registration. Table 2 below shows the number of live births to UK born and foreign born mothers usually resident in Shropshire County PCT in 2001 and 2007 (latest year available). The final two columns show the percentage change in live births to UK born and foreign born mothers between 2001 and 2007 in Shropshire County PCT and England and Wales. The percentage change in the number of births to UK born and foreign born women will reflect both changes in the size and age structure of the UK born and foreign born populations and any changes in birth rates.

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