https://mobile.twitter.com/ClareCraigPath/status/1550434394095198215
Dr Clare Craig (not one of her impersonators)
@ClareCraigPath
When
@EstherMcVey1
asks what steps are being undertaken to investigate excess deaths this was the response.
Fobbed off to Ian Diamond who just lists the publications the ONS produce with no mention of any intent to investigate further.
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2022-07-18/38654
Esther McVey MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
20 July 2022
Dear Ms McVey,
As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your
Parliamentary Question asking what steps are being taken to investigate the higher than expected
rate of deaths of 12.2 per cent above the five-year average (38654).
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes statistics on deaths registered in England and
Wales. Mortality statistics are compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and
registered as part of civil registration.
The term ‘excess deaths’ refers to the number of deaths above the five-year average. The
average for 2015 to 2019 has been used for deaths registered in 2020, and for deaths registered
in 2021 as this provides a comparison of the number of deaths expected in a usual (nonpandemic) year. For deaths registered in 2022, the five-year average comprises the years 2016,
2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021. This moves our five-year average along by a year, ensuring it
accounts for the changing population structure but does not include the exceptionally high number
of deaths seen in 2020. For more information, please see our related blog1
.
As well as releasing the Deaths Registered Weekly in England and Wales2 statistical bulletin, we
publish Monthly Mortality Analysis3
. This release looks at deaths in more detail, for example, what
causes are above the five-year average and are contributing to the excess. We also publish
reports on excess mortality specifically, the last release provided analysis up to December 20214
.
We will be updating this over the coming months to include analysis of the current period of
excess mortality.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Sir Ian Diamond