§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many cases, from 1967 to date, death certificates were issued recording death from mesothelioma; how many additions to the mesothelioma register have been made over the same period; and how many people in either group received disability benefit.
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§ Mr. OrmeThe number of deaths in Great Britain where the certified cause on the death certificate contained mention of mesothelioma were as follows:
1969 … … 120 1970 … … 169 1971 … … 165 1972 … … 187 1973 … … 201 1974 … … 196 1975 … … 252 1976 … … 289 Figures are not available for 1967 and 1968. A new procedure was used to identify these deaths in 1976. Figures for earlier years are now thought to be slightly understated.
I am informed that the additions for Great Britain to the mesothelioma register, which is maintained by the Health and Safety Executive, are as follows:
1967 … … 148 1968 … … 207 1969 … … 195 1970 … … 224 1971 … … 204 1972 … … 229 1973 … … 229 1974 … … 260 1975 … … 276 1976 … … 314 These figures, which are correct as at the moment, are liable to adjustment from tme to time as a result of the methods of collection.
I regret, in relation to the third part of the Question, that information is not available in the form requested. However, awards of disablement benefit for mesothelioma from 1967 to 1976 under the industrial injuries provisions of the Social Security Act and from 1970 to 1976 under the Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases Benefit Scheme totalled 291.