Suicide

Our Reference: FOI00840/Tyes/QE1

Dear Ian,

In response to your request for 'the number of actual or suspected suicide
deaths in each of the last 3 years broken down by age, gender, nationality
and family background of the deceased (single, separated, married, father,
etc.)', the attached table provides the number of suicides by sex, age
group and marital status for 2005 to 2007 (the latest year available).
Nationality and parental status of the deceased are not recorded on death
certificates, so these data are not available.

(See attached file: Suicides by sex, age group and marital status,
2005-2007.xls)

The ONS definition of suicides includes deaths given an underlying cause of
intentional self-harm or injury/poisoning of undetermined intent. In
England and Wales, it has been customary to assume that most injuries and
poisonings of undetermined intent are cases where the harm was
self-inflicted but there was insufficient evidence to prove that the
deceased deliberately intended to kill themselves.

You have the right to have this decision reviewed internally by an internal
review process and, if you remain unhappy with the decision, by the
Information Commissioner. If you would like to have the decision reviewed
please write to Mike Hughes, Group Director, National Statistics Policy
Group, Office for National Statistics, Drummond Gate, London, SW1V 2QQ.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Yours Sincerely

Nicola Shearman
For the latest data on the economy and society consult National Statistics at http://www.statistics.gov.uk

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