HL Deb 10 June 1982 vol 431 cc394-5WA
The Earl of Gosford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

(a) the number of cases of asbestosis newly diagnosed by each of the Pneumoconiosis Medical Panels following a claim for industrial disablement benefit for each year from 1970 to date;

(b) the number of cases in each year in which asbestosis was not diagnosed by each of the panels following such a claim;

(c) the number of cases in each year in which asbestosis accompanied by lung cancer was diagnosed by each of the panels following such a claim; and

(d) the number of cases of mesothelioma diagnosed by each of the panels during the claimants lifetime for each year from 1970 to date and the number of

Panel … … 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981
Birmingham … … 5 4 8 6 5 9 5 5 — — — —
Cardiff … … 36 19 12 18 19 17 23 28 15 12 24 14
Glasgow … … 17 22 15 12 18 18 20 9 7 15 19 22
London … … 26 21 27 17 26 27 23 24 24 15 20 18
Manchester … … 21 21 13 16 22 26 32 27 26 23 21 29
Newcastle … … 22 20 12 22 13 33 32 17 27 25 28 23
Sheffield … … 10 14 15 19 14 9 24 24 18 24 25 27
Stoke-on-Trent … … 1 1 1 1 0 1 5 7 3 8 6 6
Swansea … … 1 2 2 5 2 2 5 2 3 1 1 1
TOTALS … … 139 124 105 116 119 142 169 143 123 123 144 140
Pneumoconiosis medical boards did not diagnose asbestosis in the following number of cases:—
Panel 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981
Birmingham … … 4 2 1 8 4 1 2 5 — — — —
Cardiff … … 19 12 15 19 7 19 32 46 59 36 43 45
Glasgow … … 14 32 20 5 25 25 42 40 36 31 31 30
London … … 22 28 42 28 32 28 72 69 89 73 60 57
Manchester … … 26 34 22 28 58 86 82 92 88 89 68 58
Newcastle … … 6 11 16 10 13 19 27 39 37 47 41 46
Sheffield … … 9 12 22 23 26 26 31 48 38 38 27 33
Stoke-on-Trent … … 0 2 1 2 0 2 5 7 7 6 8 4
Swansea … … 1 0 1 1 1 1 3 11 3 2 5 4
TOTALS … … 101 133 140 124 166 207 296 357 357 322 283 277

Information about the number of cases in which asbestosis accompanied by lung cancer was diagnosed by the pneumoconiosis medical panels is not held centrally for the period 1970 to 1980 and the cost of obtaining it would be disproportionately high. However, from the 1981 statistical year the method of recording X-ray information on diagnosis has been changed to show the presence of cancer. In the year 1981 there were three cases diagnosed, two at the Sheffield panel and one at the Manchester panel.

Information about cases of mesothelioma diagnosed during a claimant's lifetime and cases in which the claimant has died before a decision has been made is not held centrally and the cost of obtaining it would be disproportionately high.