§ Mr. Churchillasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers are employed throughout the United Kingdom in the work of asbestos lagging and stripping; what survey has been carried out regarding the incidence of asbestosis in this trade; what percentage is believed to be affected in any way by this disease; and if he will publish the figures for each of the past six years of those who have died and those whose health has been substantially impaired through contraction of asbestosis.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerBecause of the intermittent nature of the work, the number of persons employed at any one time on asbestos lagging and stripping cannot be estimated with any certainty, but recent inquiries suggest that 10,000 persons may occasionally be employed on this work.
579WThe long-term medical-environmental survey of asbestos workers in Great Britain currently being undertaken by my Department includes all those engaged in asbestos lagging and stripping, but it is as yet much too early to reach any conclusions about the incidence of asbestosis in this trade. Details of the survey were given in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Sowerby (Mr. Madden) on 15th July 1974.
Is is estimated that the total number of cases in Great Britain in which industrial injury death benefit is awarded for deaths due to, or materially accelerated by, asbestosis is of the order of 80 a year. The number of asbestosis cases newly diagnosed for industrial injury purposes for the last six years is as follows: 1968, 130; 1969, 134; 1970, 153; 1971, 145; 1972, 125; 1973, 143. It is not possible to say how many of these had worked as strippers and laggers.