§ 38. Mr. CLARRYasked the Minister of Health whether His Department have any evidence that cancer of the lung may be caused by dust from tarred roads; and if there are any known fatal eases of lung cancer attributable to this cause?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of HEALTH (Mr. Shakespeare)My right hon. Friend is advised that a relation between the inhalation of dust from tarred roads and cancer of the lung has not been established, and it is, therefore, not possible to say whether any deaths from this disease can be attributed to this cause.
§ Mr. CLARRYCan my hon. Friend say whether it is a fact that any appreciable quantity of dust can be obtained from a properly tarred road?
§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREThat is a matter for the Minister of Transport.
§ Sir ARTHUR MICHAE.L SAMUELHas my hon. Friend yet got any records to give any information why there is this great increase in the number of recorded cases of cancer of the lung?
§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREI should not put it as high as that. The percentage of cases of cancer of the lung is very small.
§ Sir FRANCIS FREMANTLEIs my hon. Friend aware that the number of deaths from cancer of the respiratory 1527 organs is only 90 per million, as compared with 1,500 altogether from cancer generally, that this so-called statement was only a chance suggestion, not a statement, by a distinguished layman with no medical qualifications, and that it is considered by medical opinion unwarranted?