View report page

7
Citp of westminster
Public Health. Department,
Telephone: Trafalgar 7070 Alhmbra house,
31, Charing Cross Road,
W.C.2.
To The Right Worshipful The Mayor, Aldermen and
Councillors of the City of Westminster.
Mr. Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors,
I have the honour to present for your consideration a report on the
health of the City of Westminster during the year 1961.
An examination of the vital statistics on page 14 reveals little change
from last year. The estimated mid-year population figure provided by
the Registrar General very closely approximates that obtained by the
Census of Population undertaken in 1961. The birth rate is slightly
higher; but it is unfortunate to have to record increases in the Infant
Death Rates, both for Legitimate and Illegitimate infants. It must be
borne in mind, however, that the numbers from which the rates are
computed are so small that fluctuations are bound to occur from time to
time, as a result of chance alone. The increases this year cannot, therefore,
be regarded as reversing the steady downward trend which is apparent
when the figures for the past 17 years are examined. These will be found
in the table on page 16.
I have included in the Report again this year the adjusted Birth and
Death Rates. These are arrived at by applying Area Comparability
Factors, supplied by the Registrar General, which compensate for variations
in the age and sex composition of the population from district to
district. The adjusted rates can, therefore, be compared directly with
similarly adjusted rates for other districts, and with those for England and
Wales as a whole.
Regular readers of the Report will have noted an increase of 1 - 2 acres
in the size of Westminster. This does not arise from alteration of the
boundaries. The Director General of Ordnance Survey advises me that
the difference is due to the survey of the City of Westminster having
been completed to the 1/2500 scale National Grid, thus providing an up-todate
figure of the actual area of the City.