HC Deb 22 November 1977 vol 939 c682W
Mrs. Wise

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will add vibration white ringer to the list of industrial diseases.

Mr. Orme

The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, in its report of 1975 on vibration syndrome (Cmnd. 5965), found that no objective clinical tests were available which would identify vibration-induced white finger as attributable to occupation in a particular person and enable the resultant disablement to be assessed with reasonable accuracy. Whilst the position is kept under review, I know of no developments which invalidate those findings, and consequently the disease cannot at present be added to the list of prescribed diseases.