HC Deb 23 November 1982 vol 32 cc439-40W
Mr. Cunliffe

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the results of examinations by pneumoconiosis medical panels of workers claiming industrial disablement benefit for byssinosis, in respect of each year from 1970 to the latest available date, showing the total number of workers making applications in each year, the number of applications where byssinosis was diagnosed and the numbers where byssinosis was not diagnosed.

Mr. Rossi

Information about the number of people who have claimed disablement benefit for byssinosis is not available. However, the following table shows the number of medical examinations carried out by the pneumoconiosis medical boards for each year since 1970 and the numbers for which the disease was, and was not diagnosed.

Year Number of examinations Disease diagnosed Disease not diagnosed
1970 259 110 149
1971 182 57 125
1972 166 48 118
1973 135 32 103
1974 300 126 174
1975 451 156 295
1976 337 102 235
1977 266 87 179
1978 246 78 168
1979 268 75 193
1980 598 148 450
1981 378 108 270