§ Miss Lestorasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will hold an inquiry into the connection between the use of mineral cutting oils in the engineering industry and cancer of the skin.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithNo. The connection between the use of mineral cutting oils and cancer of the skin has been484W known for some time. A chapter of H.M. Chief Inspector of Factories' Annual Report for 1967 was devoted to "Oil and the Skin" and H.M.S.O. published in 1968 an authoritative report by the Medical Research Council on "The Carcinogenic Action of Mineral Oils: A Chemical and Biological Study". H.M. Factory Inspectorate is continuing to keep in close touch on this subject with the industries concerned.