§ Mr. PERKINSasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that the spread of cancer among workers with pitch is attributed to the anthracine contained in tar and pitch derived from gas works, in that tar and pitch derived from blast furnaces is free from anthracine, he will take this fact into consideration in the new Home Office regulations?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe fact that blast furnace pitch is much less liable to give rise to cancer is already recognised in the draft regulations, which have been issued1732W by the Home Office, for the manufacture of patent fuel (briquettes) with the addition of pitch. Factories and workshops in which no pitch other than blast furnace pitch is used are specifically exempted from the regulations. It is not, however, certain that anthracine is the constituent of ordinary pitch to which the prevalence of cancer in the industry is due.