§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many working days were lost in each of the past three years through (a) rheumatism and (b) sickness generally.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe information is not available in the form requested. However, figures based on claims to national insurance sickness and invalidity benefits are as follows:
Days of incapacity certified as due to rheumatism* Year Ending All cases Excluding cases where incapacity lasted throughout the year millions 31 May 1980 6.34 4.87 2 June 1979 Not available 3 June 1978 Not available * Those causes of incapacity listed under numbers 725–729 in the World Health Organisation's Manual of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases 9th Revision 1975. The classification system was changed in 1979/80 so comparable figures for earlier years are not available.
Days of certified incapacity for all diagnoses Year Ending All cases Excluding cases where incapacity lasted throughout the year millions 31 May 1980 411.38 203.55 2 June 1979 421.89 225.05 3 June 1978 394.22 225.85