HC Deb 07 February 1974 vol 868 cc375-6W
Mr. Edwin Wainwright

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many agricultural workers have died during each of the past six years due to contracting the disease known as "Farmers' Lung"; and if he will make a statement on what action he is taking designed to remove the causes of this disease.

Mrs. Fenner

The number of deaths of agricultural workers from farmers' lung notified under statutory requirement in the Agriculture (Safety, Health & Welfare Provisions) Act 1956 since 1968 is as follows:

1968 1
1969
1970
1971 2
1972 1
1973 1

Our approach to this problem is, firstly, to alert all those at risk to the dangers involved by our publicity and advisory effort; secondly, to tell those at risk that the only effective way of removing the cause of farmers' lung is to prevent the formation of mould spores on crops by proper curing in the field before they are baled and stored; thirdly, by making our advisory services available to deal with every occasion when their services are requested for advice on how to prevent mould on crops.