§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of death certificates issued in each year since 1968 which record death due to (a) asbestosis and (b) mesothelioma; and if he will give reasons for any differences between these numbers and those for industrial death benefit awards for these diseases.
§ Mr. RossiThe following table shows the number of death certificates mentioning asbestosis and mesothelioma:
(a) (b) Asbestosis Mesothelioma 1968 80 154 1969 78 159 1970 87 194 1971 94 179 1972 108 210 1973 107 223 1974 138 240 1975 147 265 1976 190 309 1977 184 330 1978 195 391 1979 169 428 1980 162 434 These figures are unlikely to coincide with the numbers of industrial death benefit awards for several reasons. For 858W example, industrial death benefit is not payable for all asbestos-related deaths but only those due to occupational exposure to asbestos among employed earners; claims are not made in all cases in which the death certificate shows asbestosis or mesothelioma as a cause of death and the independent adjudicating authorities who determine death benefit claims do not always agree with the cause of death shown on the death certificate.