§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of first diagnosed boardings by the Pneumoconiosis Medical Board in the coal mining industry in each year since 1948 in each NCB area; and if he will express the figures per 1,000 wage earners.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerI have been asked to reply.
I am advised by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission to refer the hon. Member to Table 10 in the Digest of Pneumoconiosis Statistics for 337W 1973 published by HMSO, to the relevant notes in the Introduction to the Digest and to the corresponding table in earlier volumes. Copies of the Digests are available in the Library of the House.
It is regretted that information additional to that in the table required by the hon. Member could be provided only at disproportionate cost.