HC Deb 11 December 1984 vol 69 cc467-8W
Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many posters have been printed about the occupational asthma scheme; and how many of them have been distributed.

Mr. Newton

23,000 copies of an occupational asthma poster were printed and distributed in July 1984.

Two copies of the poster were sent to welfare/medical officers of relevant industries (10,000 copies), trade union secretaries (5,500 copies), citizens advice bureaux (2,000 copies), DHSS offices (3,000 copies). The remainder is held in stock at our leaflets unit.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims have been made under the occupational asthma scheme (PD 53) since its introduction.

Mr. Newton

1,343 claims have been made between 29 March 1982, when occupational asthma was prescribed as an industrial disease, and 25 September 1984, the latest date for which information is available.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in respect of each of the seven listed groups in the occupational asthma scheme (PD53), how many claims were successful and how many claims were unsuccessful.

Mr. Newton

I regret that the information is not available in the form requested. However, the following table shows, in respect of each of the seven listed agents, the number of successful claims for occupational asthma and the number of claims where the disease was not diagnosed following examination by a special medical board.

Agents Successful claims Disease not diagnosed
(a) Isocyanates 154 48
(b) Platinum salts 15
(c) Fumes/dusts from certain hardening agents 23 33
(d) Soldering flux fumes 67 38
(e) Proteolytic enzymes 7 9
(f) Animals/insects 18 14
(g) Flour/grain dusts 99 91
Totals 383 233