§ Mr. Dormandasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated number of deaths of former coal miners from pneumoconiosis and other respiratory diseases in Northumberland, North Durham and South Durham areas of the National Coal Board for each of the last three years; and what are the numbers for the whole of Great Britain's coalfields for the same period.
§ Mr. DeanThe statistics available relate to cases for which death benefit for pneumoconiosis was awarded under the Industrial Injuries Act and the Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases Benefit Scheme, and to cases certified for workmen's compensation purposes. Figures are not available for particular areas but those for the whole of Great Britain for the years 1968, 1969 and 1970 are 675,669 and 700, respectively. The figure for 1971 is not yet available and that for 1970 is provisional.