Written question asked by Iris Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party) on Wednesday, 1 November 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 6 November 2006. It was answered by Paul Goggins (Labour) on Tuesday, 7 November 2006 on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office.

Diabetes

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the number of children and adolescents in the Province who (a) suffer from diabetes and (b) are at risk of developing diabetes.

Answer: Official estimates of the number of children and adolescents who suffer from diabetes are not available. However, under the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) of the General Medical Services contract, the number of GP-registered patients aged 17 and over with diabetes mellitus is recorded.As at 14 February 2006, there were 54,950 patients (3.1 per cent. of GP-registered patients) on the QOF diabetes mellitus register in Northern Ireland. This includes Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. (Source: Payment Calculation and Analysis System).In 2005, the expected number of the population aged 0-19 years in Northern Ireland with Type 1 diabetes, most commonly diagnosed in children and adolescents, is 992 (0.2 per cent. of population aged 0-19 years).Estimates of the number of children and adolescents who are at risk of developing diabetes are not available.

Secondary information