§ Mr. Norman Hoggasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will publish details in the Official Report of surveys covering occupational cancers currently being undertaken throughout Great Britain;
(2) in how many cases of death which appeared to have arisen out of industrial employment were coroners' inquests held 257W in England and Wales and sheriffs' inquiries held in Scotland during the period 1976 to 1978; how many such deaths were attributable to (a) industrial accidents, (b) industrial poisonings, (c) industrial diseases, other than cancer, and (d) industrial cancers; and how many inquests and inquiries were attended by one of Her Majesty's inspectors of health and safety;
(3) what estimate he makes of the annual rate of occupational cancer deaths in Great Britain; and if he will instruct the Health and Safety Commission to undertake an investigation under section 12(b) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, in conjunction with the Registrars General and cancer registries using linked records, into a recent estimate that such deaths now total between 32,000 and 54,00 per annum.
§ Mr. MayhewI shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.