§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking and will take to ensure that accurate occupational histories are compiled in respect of persons claiming benefit for industrial diseases, and whether they consider that independent monitoring of a random sample of histories by persons not employed in the Department of Health and Social Security would be useful as a means of verifying their accuracy.
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneTo enable the independent adjudicating authorities responsible for the determination of claims for benefit in respect of industrial diseases to decide whether a claimant has worked in an occupation for which a disease is prescribed, it is a claimant's responsibility in the first instance to provide details of his occupational history. Officials of the Department of Health and Social Security are always willing to provide necessary assistance and, in particular, to help in obtaining additional evidence required by the adjudicating authorities. My right honourable friend sees no need for independent monitoring of occupational histories ascertained by the adjudicating authorities.