§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pneumoconiosis claims for benefit under the industrial injuries scheme and its associated schemes have been approved up to the latest available date.
§ Mr. O'MalleyFrom 1952 to 1973 inclusive, the period for which information is available, 64,000 awards were made 405W under the industrial injuries scheme, and 17,000 awards under the Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases Benefit Scheme, following diagnosis of pneumoconiosis. On 30th September 1973, the latest date for which information is available, 40,000 people were receiving benefit for pneumoconiosis under these schemes.
§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pneumoconiosis claims were rejected by the pneumoconiosis medical boards in 1973 and 1974.
§ Mr. O'MalleyPneumoconiosis medical boards disallowed 1,814 claims in 1973 and 2,048 in 1974 after clinical examination. Cases where scrutiny of the X-rays shows no evidence of the disease are rejected without reference to full medical boards except on appeal. There were 7,426 such rejections in 1973 and 8,938 in 1974.