HC Deb 28 June 1976 vol 914 cc66-7W
Mr. Madden

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, how many people, in receipt of compensation awarded in respect of contracting asbestosis, have had claims for industrial disability benefit rejected by pneumoconiosis medical panels in the last five years: more than once, twice, three, four, five, six or seven times, respectively.

Mr. Orme

The table below shows the number of cases of asbestos is diagnosed by a pneumoconiosis medical board when the disease had not been diagnosed at an earlier board.

TOTAL OF BOARDS, UP TO AND INCLUDING FIRST DIAGNOSIS SHOWN IN BRACKETS
(2) (3) (4) (5) Total
1971 8 2 10
1972 12 1 13
1973 9 1 2 1 13
1974 8 4 2 2 16
1975 16 6 1 1 24

Mr. Madden

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people have died of asbestosis in each of the last five years; and how many people have died, over the same period, of cancers related to asbestos.

Mr. Orme

The available information for Great Britain is shown below:

Death Registration Industrial Injuries Scheme
Deaths assigned to asbestosis as underlying cause (IC.D.515.2) Deaths accepted as due to or materially accelerated by asbestosis*
1971 27 Not available
1972 32 Not available
1973 28 Not available
1974 25 71
1975† 46 55
* This includes some deaths from lung cancer found in the presence of asbestosis.
† Provisional.

Death Registration Deaths assigned to mesothelioma as underlying cause Industrial Injuries Scheme Deaths accepted as due to or materially accelerated by mesothelioma (prescribed disease 44)*
1970 169 21
1971 165 22
1972 187 20
1973 201 28
1974 196 26
1975 Not yet available Not yet available
* It is probable that some cases of mesothelioma are recorded as pneumoconiosis which would make these figures an underestimate.
† (provisional)