§ Mr. Ron Lewisasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the 285W recent evidence that alcoholism costs industry about £100,000,000 per annum, he will initiate a further study with the object of finding the extent of the problem, its effect on industrial efficiency, and the attitude of employers to persons suffering from this condition.
§ Mr. DellI am not aware of the evidence to which my hon. Friend has referred. The National Council on Alcoholism recently published a booklet in which it was suggested that absenteeism due to alcoholism might involve a loss to industry of £10 million per annum. I understand that some research is now being carried out in the United Kingdom, and I do not consider that it would be appropriate to initiate a further study at this stage.