HC Deb 28 July 1977 vol 936 c605W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list by reason the reported annual incidence of the disease acro-osteolysis amongst those occupationally exposed to vinyl chloride monomer in the PVC industry, for the longest period for which figures are available.

Mr. Orme

Annual incidence figures are not yet available for this disease, which was only prescribed as an industrial disease on 21st March 1977. However, in paragraph 14 of its report "Vinyl Chloride Monomer" (Cmnd. 6620) published in October 1976 the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council stated that in Britain only five cases of acro-osteolysis had been found amongst VCM exposed workers in the PVC industry.