Clause 3.—(AMENDMENTS AS TO BENEFIT UNDER OLD CASES ACT.) (Hansard, 7 July 1967)

§ Mrs. Joyce Butler (Wood Green)

I do not want to detain the Committee for more than a few moments. Some time ago I referred at Question Time to the problems of industrial workers who contracted bladder cancer 20 or more years after industrial exposure. I thank my right hon. Friend for having made provision in the Clause for the extension of industrial injuries benefit to persons of this type who suffer from certain slowly developing neoplasms due to their employment before 5th July, 1948, but which manifested themselves only much later.

The Committee will know that cancer of the bladder arising from exposure to certain chemicals used in the rubber industry, and more recently tumours arising from exposure to asbestos in the asbestos industry, have been brought within the Industrial Injuries Regulations, but some workers have not been eligible for benefit because the period of exposure which doctors consider significant occurred before the operative date. The average time from first exposure to the development of the disease, in the case of bladder cancer, is 18 years, and it can be 30 years, or more—and similarly with asbestos disease.

There have been some tragic cases. In recent months inquests have been carried out on two such workers—one a man of 47 who died from asbestosis because 2230 he had worked in the asbestos industry 26 years before, and the other a man of 56, who had worked in the rubber industry 20 years before contracting the disease. The Clause will not apply retrospectively to the dependants of these workers, but it will mean that in future people in these tragic circumstances will not have financial difficulties added to the already serious burden of the disease from which they suffer.

I hope that the Clause will also apply—as I think it will—to bone necrosis following work in compressed air, and other forms of tumour associated with working environment.

I am very grateful for this Clause. I do not want to get involved in arguments about coroners, but I commend the coroners who have drawn attention to this anomaly. I am also grateful for the devoted efforts of doctors and research workers who have brought this to the attention of my right hon. Friend's Department. I want to refer particularly to Dr. Case of the Chester Beatty Research Institute, for his work in this field, but I can assure the Committee that although the Clause is entitled Amendments as to benefit under Old Cases Act. there is no direct connection between the Old Cases Act and Dr. Case!

We have heard much from hon. Members and the Minister about the things that she has not been able to do, but I thank her for what she has done in this case.