48. The Rev. Ll. Williamsasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many working days were lost in 1957, or the latest available year for which the figures are known, which were attributable to the incidence of bronchitis.
47. Miss Leeasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state the number of working days lost as a result of bronchitis in each of the last five years fully recorded.
The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance (Mr. W. M. F. Vane)I can answer only for the number of days of incapacity attributed to bronchitis among people insured for sickness benefit, which as they involve a table of figures, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
The Rev. Ll. WilliamsIs the Minister aware that, in a country which is as dependent as ours on maximum industrial production, these figures should not be taken complacently but demand drastic investigation by the Minister?
§ The following are the figures:
| DAYS OF INCAPACITY ATTRIBUTED TO BRONCHITIS | |
| Millions. | |
| 1951(a) | 26.61 |
| 1953–54(b)(c) | 25.62 |
| 1954–55(b) | 25.38 |
| 1955–56(b) | 26.87 |
| (a) calendar year; | |
| (b) year from first Monday in June; | |
| (c) 53 weeks. |
§ Information for later periods is not available.