HC Deb 16 February 1976 vol 905 cc531-8W
Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of boardings at which pneumoconiosis and relevant industrial diseases were first diagnosed classified by industry for each year since 1958, indicating how many cases were first examination, reexamination and the total number of cases diagnosed in each industry per year.

Mr. O'Malley

The information available is published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in the annual "Digest of Pneumoconiosis Statistics". I would refer the hon. Member to Table 3, page 6 of the latest "Digest" (for 1973) and the equivalent tables in earlier volumes which are available in the Library of the House.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the number of first diagnosed boardings by the Pneumoconiosis Medical Board

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report a list of all unoccupied Government factory premises in Wales indicating when production last took place in them.

Mr. Barry Jones

The Welsh Office is at present seeking occupants for the following premises:

in the slate and stone quarrying industries in each year since 1948 in each county and region in the United Kingdom and for the United Kingdom as a whole; and if he will express all figures per 1,000 wage earners in these industries;

(2) what was the number of payments of disablement benefits for pneumoconiosis to men under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act and the Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases Benefit Scheme per 1,000 population for (a) Great Britain, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales, and (d) each English region in each year since 1948;

(3) what is the average length of time taken by the Pneumoconiosis Medical Panel to examine thoracic organs in connection with application for industrial death benefit by dependants.

Mr. O'Malley

I regret that this information is not available.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of disablement benefits for pneumoconiosis under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Acts and the Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases Benefit Scheme cur-

NATIONAL INSURANCE (INDUSTRIAL INJURIES) ACT DISABLEMENT PENSIONS IN RESPECT OF PNEUMOCONIOSIS
Assessments current at 30th September 1974 analysed by attributable industry and percentage assessment Hundreds
Minimum list heading* All assessments Percentage assessment
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
All industries 361 153 92 48 26 14 8 6 3 1 12
Mining and quarrying 101–104, 109 316 138 82 41 22 10 6 4 3 1 10
Coal mining 101 311 137 81 40 21 10 6 4 3 1 8
Other 102–104, 109 5 1 1 1 1
Metal manufacture 311–313 11 4 3 2 1 1 1 1
321–323
Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc. 461–464, 469 17 7 3 2 1 1 1 1
Bricks, fireclay and refractory goods 461 2 1
Pottery, glass 462,466 13 6 2 1 1 1 1 1
Other industries Remainder 17 4 4 3 2 2 1 1 1

Source: 10 per cent. sample.

* According to Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1968).

PNEUMOCONIOSIS, BYSSINOSIS AND MISCELLANEOUS DISEASES BENEFIT SCHEME 1966 ALLOWANCES IN FORCE AT 30TH SEPTEMBER 1974, ANALYSED BY INDUSTRY GREAT BRITAIN
Number
Total Incapacity Partial Incapacity
All industries 487 2,392
Refractories 0 2
Sandstone 0 7
Pottery 29 108
Asbestos 7 64
Coal 362 1,995
Coal-trimming 0 0
Tin mining 16 19
Haematite mining 7 31
Slate mining 9 18
Slate splitting 8 23
Graphite 0 2
Building 5 11
Sandblasting, etc. 1 6
Tunnellers 5 9
Metal grinding 3 3
Steel dressers 2 15
Abrasive soap powders 5 11
Barytes mining 1 0
Quarrying (other than sandstone or slate) 5 8
Furnace dismantling 0 2
Carbon electrode manufacture 0 0
Boiler scaling 1 2
Foundry workers 12 35
Fireclay mining 0 3
Other clay mining 0 0
Chert mining 0 0
Lead mining 3 5
Oil shale mining 0 0
Stratified ironstone mining 0 0
Other mining 1 4
Other scheduled occupations 5 6
Unscheduled occupations 0 3

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of state for social for social services what was the

rently in payment by percentage assessment, by disablement and by industry.

Mr. O'Malley

The tables below show the figures as at 30th September 1974.

the number of boardings in which pneumoconiosis and related industrial diseases were first diagnosed in each year since 1948 classified by industry and by the percentage disablement assessment made.

Mr. O'Malley

The information available is published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in the annual "Digest of Pneumoconiosis Statistics". I would refer the hon. Member to Table 4, page 7, of the latest "Digest" (for 1973) and the equivalent tables in earlier volumes, which are available in the Library of the House.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many awards of industrial death benefit to widows and other dependants were made in each year since 1948 under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Acts where pneumoconiosis or related diseases were certified as a cause of death in (a) Great Britain, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) the English regions.

Mr. O'Malley

The information requested is not available, but the table below shows the number of cases in Great Britain from 1956 onwards in which industrial death benefit was claimed and the pneumoconiosis medical panel was of the opinion that death was dut to, or materially accelerated by, pneumoconiosis.

1956 438
1957 607
1958 647
1959 655
1960 717
1961 827
1962 807
1963 874

Age
24 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65
or to to to to to to to to or
less 29 34 39 44 49 54 59 64 more Total
Coal mining 10 40 210 1,064 3,164 4,192 6,577 18,179 33,436
Other mining and quarrying 31 20 85 125 426 687
Other industries 20 70 161 407 524 768 2,123 4,073

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of boardings at which pneumoconiosis was first diagnosed in each year since 1948 classified by industry and age of claimant.

Mr. O'Malley

The information available is published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in the annual "Digest of Pneumoconiosis Statistics". I would refer

1964 770
1965 803
1966 671
1967 606
1968 645
1969 674
1970 732
1971 636
1972 696
1973 614
1974 593

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will now revise the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) (Benefits) Regulations to enable industrial death benefit to be paid to the widow and dependants of all persons who received disablement benefits for pneumoconiosis under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Acts and the Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases Benefit Scheme during life; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. O'Malley

No. This would mean paying the preferential benefit of the industrial injuries scheme in cases where death was clearly unconnected with work.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of disablement benefits for pneumoconiosis under the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act and the Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases Benefit Scheme currently in payment by age of recipient and by industry.

Mr. O'Malley

The figures as at 30th September 1974 are shown in the table below.

the hon. Member to Table 2, pages 4 and 5 of the latest "Digest" (for 1973) and the equivalent tables in earlier volumes, which are available in the Library of the House.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State fro Social Services what periodic X-ray investigations are carries out to detect pneumoconiosis and related industrial diseases in industries other that coal mining; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. O'Malley

Periodical medical examinations are carried out as required under Regulations 2(B) and 51 and Part II of Schedule I to the Social Security (Industrial Injuries) (Prescribed Diseases) Regulations 1975 and include, when necessary, X-ray investigations. Discussions about these arrangements are taking place between my Department and the Employment Medical Advisory Service of the Health and Safety Executive.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many examinations of thoracic organs were undertaken each year since 1948 by the Pneumoconiosis Medical Panel.

Mr. O'Malley

The available information is shown in the table below:

Year Number
1956 3,435
1957 3,380
1958 3,935
1959 3,779
1960 3,980
1961 4,150
1962 4,189
1963 4,450
1964 4,291
1965 4,408
1966 4,522
1967 4,407
1968 4,640
1969 4,863
1970 5,016
1971 4,677
1972 4,868
1973 4,786
1974 4,681

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of scrutinies and boardings for pneumoconiosis, byssinosis and related industrial diseases which took place in industries other than coal mining in each year since 1948; if she will give the number of negative scrutinies, the number and percentage referred for boarding, the total number of boardings, and the number at which the disease was not diagnosed, and at which the disease was first diagnosed; and if she will provide the information for slate mining and quarrying and other mining and quarrying and haematite mining and other industries in asbestos working, steel dressing,non-ferrous foundry workers, steel foundry workers, iron foundry workers, refractories and pottery manufacture, and any other processes.

Mr. O'Malley

The information available is published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in the annual" Digest of Pneumoconiosis Statistics". I would refer the hon. Member to Table 2, page 4 and 5 of the latest "Digest" (for 1973) and the equivalent tables in earlier volumes which are available in the Library of the House.