§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish figures showing the annual average percentage rates of male unemployment for the United Kingdom, and for each region within the United Kingdom, over the period 1955 to 1971.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithFollowing is the information:
§ Mr. Oakesasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will extend the scope of the Robens Inquiry into the safety and health of those at work to lorry drivers who transport goods outside factories and to the health hazards of those who live in the vicinity of factories where toxic substances are used or manufactured.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithThe safety and health of transport workers, including 347W lorry drivers, while directly engaged on transport operations was deliberately excluded from the terms of reference of the Robens Committee. This was because these matters necessarily have to be considered in a broader context, for example of the safety of other road users, and the safe design and operation of vehicles, Apart from this, the safety and health of transport workers in the course of their employment is within the Committee's terms of reference.
As regards the second part of the Question, consideration of health hazards to the general public caused by the use or manufacture of toxic substances is within the Committee's terms of reference, which do not, however, extend to general environmental pollution.