§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what records are(a) collected and (b) evaluated in respect of the number of (a) men and (b) women suffering from asbestos-related diseases. [28602]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThe Department of Social Security keeps records of people suffering from certain asbestos-related disease which are prescribed for the purposes of industrial injuries disablement benefit. The records do not provide a complete count of the incidence of asbestos-related diseases as only those eligible to claim the benefit are recorded. From 1994, these records distinguish between men and women.
The Health and Safety Executive maintains records under the Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR). These require employers, in certain circumstances only, to report certain asbestos-related diseases occurring among their employees. These figures distinguish between men and women.