Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the ONS data entitled Monthly mortality analysis, England and Wales: December 2022, published on 20 January 2023, what assessment his Department has made for the accuracy of those figures.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) monthly mortality analysis is categorised as a National Statistics publication, which means that it is produced to high professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. ONS are a trusted supplier of Official Statistics and the content of this analysis can be regarded as accurate.

There are a range of organisations producing different estimates of excess deaths based on different methodologies. Other sources include the ONS ‘Deaths registered weekly in England and Wales, provisional’ report, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/latest

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities ‘Excess mortality in England and English regions’ reports can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/excess-mortality-in-england-and-english-regions