§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many sufferers from farmer's lung (a) are recognised at present to be suffering from the disease, (b) died during 1981, their deaths being attributed to this disease and (c) were first recognised to be suffering from the disease during the past 12 months.
§ Mr. RossiInformation in the form requested relating to(a) and (c) is not available. However, it is estimated from the hospital inpatient inquiry that during 1979 there were 70 hospital cases; during 1980, 351 laboratory reports of farmers lung were received by the communicable disease surveillance centre; and in 1981, 14 cases were newly diagnosed in connection with claims from employed earners for injury or disablement benefit under the industrial injuries scheme. As to (b), in 1981, 12 deaths where the underlying cause was farmer's lung disease were registered.