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<p>The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.</p><p> </p><p>Dear Lord Dobbs,</p><p>As
National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding
to your Parliamentary Question asking what analysis has been undertaken into the estimated
number of non-COVID-19 related deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic; whether any such
analysis shows an increase in that number; what assessment they have made of the causes
for any such increase; and what plans they have to publish any such analysis <strong>(HL3372)</strong>.</p><p>The
Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for publishing weekly numbers
of deaths registered in England and Wales. The most recent annual figures published
are for deaths registered in 2018[1], however we do publish provisional weekly death
registrations which are currently published for deaths registered up to 24 April 2020[2].
National Records Scotland (NRS) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
(NISRA) are responsible for publishing the number of deaths registered in Scotland
and Northern Ireland respectively.</p><p>Cause of death is defined using the International
Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th edition (ICD-10). Deaths
involving COVID-19, which refers to deaths where COVID-19 is mentioned anywhere on
the death certificate, are identified by the ICD-10 codes U07.1 and U07.2.</p><p>Table
1 shows the provisional number of deaths registered each week in England and Wales
up to 24 April 2020, broken down by deaths involving COVID-19 and deaths not involving
COVID-19. This table also includes the 5-year average for number of deaths. The data
shows that the overall increase in deaths compared to the 5-year average is not solely
due to deaths involving COVID-19.</p><p>The ONS is publishing a report on the increase
in non-COVID-19 deaths observed in weekly deaths statistics, in coming weeks. This
is mentioned in the ONS’s statement of upcoming analysis on deaths and coronavirus
(COVID-19)[3]. The report will analyse how the number of non-COVID-19 deaths occurring
in different places of death, for different age groups and for different causes of
death differ from previous years’ data, and will suggest how these findings correspond
with possible reasons for the increase.</p><p>Yours sincerely,</p><p><strong>Professor
Sir Ian Diamond</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 1: </strong>Number of deaths
registered by week, England and Wales, 28 December 2019 to 24 April 2020[4][5][6]</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Week</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>All
deaths - 2020</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>COVID-19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Non-COVID-19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>All
deaths - 5-year average</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>12,254</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>12,254</p></td><td><p>12,175</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>14,058</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>14,058</p></td><td><p>13,822</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>12,990</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>12,990</p></td><td><p>13,216</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>11,856</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>11,856</p></td><td><p>12,760</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>11,612</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>11,612</p></td><td><p>12,206</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>10,986</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10,986</p></td><td><p>11,925</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>10,944</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10,944</p></td><td><p>11,627</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>10,841</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10,841</p></td><td><p>11,548</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>10,816</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10,816</p></td><td><p>11,183</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10,895</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10,895</p></td><td><p>11,498</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>11,019</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>11,014</p></td><td><p>11,205</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>10,645</p></td><td><p>103</p></td><td><p>10,542</p></td><td><p>10,573</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>11,141</p></td><td><p>539</p></td><td><p>10,602</p></td><td><p>10,130</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>16,387</p></td><td><p>3,475</p></td><td><p>12,912</p></td><td><p>10,305</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>18,516</p></td><td><p>6,213</p></td><td><p>12,303</p></td><td><p>10,520</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>22,351</p></td><td><p>8,758</p></td><td><p>13,593</p></td><td><p>10,497</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>21,997</p></td><td><p>8,237</p></td><td><p>13,760</p></td><td><p>10,458</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br>Source:
<em>Office for National Statistics</em></p><p>[1]<a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/deathsregisteredinenglandandwalesseriesdrreferencetables"
target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/deathsregisteredinenglandandwalesseriesdrreferencetables</a></p><p>[2]<a
href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/weekending24april2020"
target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/weekending24april2020</a></p><p>[3]<a
href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/news/statementsandletters/statementofupcominganalysisondeathsandcoronaviruscovid19"
target="_blank">https://www.ons.gov.uk/news/statementsandletters/statementofupcominganalysisondeathsandcoronaviruscovid19</a></p><p>[4]Cause
of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision
(ICD-10) codes U07.1, U07.2</p><p>[5]Figures are based on deaths registered up to
24 April 2020</p><p>[6]All figures for 2020 are provisional</p>
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