Figures released by Health Minister Joseph Cassar in Parliament shows that 26.7 per cent of the total number of births at Mater Dei Hospital during the first nine months of this year were to unmarried mothers aged between 14 and 42.

Dr Cassar told Noel Farrugia (PL) that there were 2,567 birth of which 685 were to unmarried mothers and 131 of these were to mothers between 14 and 19. The highest number of monthly births to unmarried mothers, 105, was during September.

Answering a question by David Agius (PN), Education Minister Dolores Cristina said that the number of expectant students under 18 was 147, of whom 16 were under 16.

Answering another question by Mr Farrugia, Dr Cassar said that during the first three quarters of the year there were 208 people who were admitted to hospital because of alcohol abuse. Of these three were under 15 years of age and 28 between 15 and 24.

People admitted to hospital because of drug overdose amounted to 217, of whom 24 were under 15 and 50 between the ages of 15 and 24.