HC Deb 01 March 1990 vol 168 cc284-5W
Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will instigate investigations into the rates of incidence of cancer near nuclear installations in Wales following the recent report on Sellafield.

Mr. Grist

Analysis of the data available from the Wales cancer registry is under way. The data require careful scrutiny and validation. When the results are ready, I will make a statement.

Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what trends he is able to identify in respect of the incidence rates of various forms of cancer(a) in Wales as a whole and (b) in each district in Wales; and what information he has on trends in such incidence rates in the United Kingdom generally.

Mr. Grist

Information on the individual incidence rates and trends of cancer within Wales is presented in the Welsh Office publication "Cancer Registration in Wales, 1974–1984".

Figures for England and Wales are available from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys publication "Cancer statistics: registrations", while data for Scotland appear in "Scottish Health Statistics" published by the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service. Information on cancer registrations for Northern Ireland appear in the Department of Health and Social Services "Statistics and Research Bulletin".

Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether, in the light of the Gardner report, he will commission fresh independent research into the incidence of leukaemia in north Wales and into the causes of high incidence of specific types of cancer in any part of Wales.

Mr. Grist

Welsh cancer registration data are kept under regular review. Where it appears that the rate of incidence of any particular form of cancer is significantly higher than would be expected consideration is given to the need for, and the most appropriate form of, investigation into possible causes.

Additionally, as announced by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 15 February, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment plans detailed epidemiological studies to obtain more information on the possible health effects in the offspring of parents occupationally exposed to radiation. These studies should start in the near future.