§ Mr. Goldingasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the incidence of bronchitis among foundrymen; and whether this is higher or lower than for workers generally.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithMy Department published in May this year a report of a survey on "Respiratory Disease in Foundrymen", which compared a group of foundrymen aged 35–64 with a carefully matched control group employed in engineering factories. The survey showed an incidence of bronchitis of 10.9 per cent. in fettlers and 10.5 per cent. in foundry floor men, compared with 7.2 per cent. in the control group. "Bronchitis" was defined for this purpose as a syndrome involving production of sputum for at least three months each year, associated with one or more chest illnesses during the previous three years.
§ Mr. Goldingasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the incidence of pneumoconiosis among foundry floor men and fettlers, respectively; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithMy Department published in May this year a report of a survey on "Respiratory Disease in Foundrymen", which was designed to determine the incidence of respiratory symptoms in foundrymen and which included a study of the incidence of pneumoconiosis among foundry floor men and fettlers. X-rays showed that 14 per 57W cent. of foundry floor men and 34 per cent. of fettlers had pneumoconiosis. As soon as the first draft of the report was available in October, 1968, it was referred to and was fully discussed by my Industrial Health Advisory Committee and my Joint Standing Committee on Safety, Health and Welfare in Foundries.