Written question asked by David Burrowes (Conservative) on Wednesday, 3 March 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 March 2010. It was answered by Baroness Merron (Labour) on Monday, 8 March 2010 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Infant Mortality: Methadone

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many newborn baby deaths were related to the use of methadone by the mother in the latest period for which figures are available.

Answer: This data is not available in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.However, the Department supports the national programme for substance abuse deaths (npSAD), currently run by the International Centre for Drug Policy at St. Georges, University of London. This programme collects and analyses data on drug related deaths in the United Kingdom, and can be found at the following website at:"www.sgul.ac.uk/about-st-georges/divisions/faculty-of-medicine-and-biomedical-sciences/mental-health/icdp/our-work-programmes/national-programme-on-substance-abuse-deaths"

Secondary information