HC Deb 01 April 1980 vol 982 cc176-7W
Mr. Buchan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of mesothelioma were registered in each year since 1973 in Scotland.

Mr. Fairgrieve

The number of cases of mesothelioma registered on the regional cancer registers in each year from 1973 to 1978 in Scotland were as follows:

Year Male Female Total
1973 13 0 13
1974 8 0 8
1975 15 2 17
1976 21 1 22
1977 20 2 22
1978 23 2 25

The figures for 1979 are not yet available.

Mr. Buchan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many cases of death by mesothelioma in each year since 1973 post mortems were carried out; in how many cases sheriff's inquiries were held in public; and in how many cases the conclusion was that the disease was contracted as a result of asbestos exposure.

Mr. Fairgrieve

The number of deaths registered in Scotland from mesothelioma and the number of such cases where a post mortem was carried out in each of the years 1973 to 1979 are as follows:

Year Number of deaths Cases where a post mortem was carried out
1973 18 7
1974 12 6
1975 19 6
1976 26 10
1977 18 7
1978 31 5
1979 41 18

Information is not available on the number of such cases which were the subject of public fatal accident inquiries in the sheriff courts, nor about the number in which it was concluded that the disease was contracted as a result of exposure to asbestos.