§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will carry out a study of bronchitis, emphysema and other similar dust diseases where the incidence is significantly higher among coal miners and quarrymen, with the aim of establishing a qualifying period of employment in these industries which would enable coal miners or quarrymen who subsequently contracted these diseases to have them recognised as industrial diseases.
§ Mr. OrmeI would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Carmarthen on 17th July—[Vol. 954, c.99–100.] A study of the kind suggested would unfortunately not overcome the basic problem, which is that for these diseases to be prescribed as industrial diseases it is necessary to distinguish clinically between those cases which arise from a person's occupation and those which do not. Consequently, until such time as bronchitis and emphysema due to occupational causes can be distinguished from bronchitis and emphysema due to other causes, there is no prospect of their prescription for any particular occupation or for those who have been working in an occupation for a particular length of time.