§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the current figures for pneumoconiosis in British mines, giving an indication of the trend; and if he will indicate why the figures continue to be high.
§ Mr. John GrantI have been asked to reply.
I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the numbers of new cases of pneumoconiosis in recent years are as follows:
Year … Mining (including quarrying) 1955 … 5,088 1960 … 3,365 1965 … 1,075 1970 … 828 1971 … 653 1972 … 668 1973 … 546 1974 … 563 1975 (Provisional) … 724 The increases in 1974 and 1975 are due to a marked rise in the number of diagnoses among ex-miners over the age of 65–145 in 1974 and 307 in 1975. The trend among men still employed in mining continues downward.