HC Deb 09 February 1932 vol 261 cc665-6
77. Mr. D. GRENFELL

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received notification of the deaths from cancer among men employed at the Mond Nickel Works at Clydach, near Swansea; and whether he will state the number of deaths from this cause during the last three years among men who have been employed at these works prior to their disablement?

The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir Herbert Samuel)

Notification under the Factory Act is required only in the case of cancerous ulceration of the skin due to tar, pitch or certain other substances. No cases of this form of cancer have been notified from the works in question, and I am informed that, so far as the Factory Department is aware, there is no process carried on at the works which would expose the workers to this risk. At the request of the Department the medical officer of the company has gone through their records and finds that during the last three years six men who had been employed at the works died from cancer, but there does not appear to be any ground in any of these cases for connecting the disease with the employment. The average number of men employed during the three years was 1,105. The average age of death in the six cases was 53.

Mr. GRENFELL

Are not the figures given indicative of a very high rate of cancer deaths, especially in view of the form of cancer which affects all these people—the same kind of cancer in each of these cases?

Sir H. SAMUEL

No, Sir, I am informed that the number of deaths is not disproportionate to that in the population generally, nor do particular cases show symptoms of the particular kind of cancer which is due to industrial disease.

Mr. GRENFELL

Am I asking too much in urging the Home Secretary to keep a vigilant eye on this matter and to secure as accurate a record as possible of cancer cases at these works?

Sir H. SAMUEL

Full and careful inquiries have been made, and if the hon. Member will give me information which will show that the six cases in three years among 1,100 workmen are due in any degree to their employment I shall be most happy to look into the matter.