§ Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many agricultural workers have been drawing sickness benefits over each of the past four years, due to contracting the disease labelled "harvest lung"; and if he will make a statement on the action his Department is taking to mitigate the effects of this illness.
§ Mr. DeanI assume that the hon. Member is referring to farmer's lung, which is a prescribed disease under the Industrial Injuries Act. The following table shows the number of successful claims for injury and disablement benefit made from 1969 onwards:
Year Injury Benefit Disablement Benefit 1969 13 15 1970 15 15 1971 12 9 1972 Not yet available 13 My Department continues to support the investigations into farmer's lung which have been carried out by the Public Health Laboratory Service Board over a period of seven years. The position will be reviewed at the end of the year.
The Medical Research Council is still supporting a number of studies; field studies are being co-ordinated by the pneumoconiosis unit at Llandough Hospital, Penarth. The unit is co-operating with other research workers in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the West of England and hopes to hold a meeting to review progress shortly.