Campaigners win fight to retain UK statistics on cancer deaths, lifestyle, and suicides

The gathering of UK statistics on drinking, smoking, suicides, drug poisoning, child mortality, and health inequalities has been retained despite proposed cuts. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) had planned to eliminate a large range of statistical outputs to meet budget targets,1 but it has modified the cuts after a public consultation.

The main beneficiaries of the decision are reports derived from the General Lifestyle Survey, which garnered the most support from the 440 people and more than 200 organisations that responded to the consultation. In addition, ONS will continue to publish an …