§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to 361W place on the agenda of the Council of Ministers of the EEC the question of EEC policy on compensation to those suffering from silicosis, pneumoconiosis and allied lung diseases.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerI do not think it would be appropriate to raise this matter with the EEC at this stage when the Government are still considering the recommendations on the general question of compensation for personal injury made by the Pearson Commission, whose report contained information about current action in this field by the EEC. Furthermore, it would be preferable to await developments in the interdepartmental working group which is looking into the
Latest date Percentage change United Kingdom … … … … June 1978 … … … … +136 Belgium … … … … May 1978* … … … … +210 France … … … … May 1978 … … … … +157 Germany … … … … May 1978* … … … … +117 Ireland … … … … February 1978* … … … +79 Netherlands … … … … April 1978* … … … … +65 United States … … … … May 1978 … … … … +33 Japan … … … … April 1978* … … … … +66 * Provisional. Important changes in the methods of compiling unemployment statistics in Italy and Denmark prevent direct comparisons being made between February 1974 and the current date. Information is not readily available for Luxembourg.