‘Mortality rate class gap fails to narrow’

Child poverty campaigners say there is still “little evidence” that
the gap in the infant mortality rate between social classes is
narrowing, despite the overall rate falling to its lowest since
records began more than 150 years ago.

Paul Dornan, head of policy and research at the Child Poverty
Action Group, said the government was making little progress in
reducing the gap between classes after Office for National
Statistics figures showed that 3,272 under-ones died in 2004.

This represents 5.1 deaths per 1,000 births, the lowest rate since
records began in 1837.