§ Mrs. Clwydasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider moving the qualifying date 8 October 1977 back for those claiming disablement benefit for occupational deafness who have worked in prescribed occupations.
§ Mr. NewtonNo. On 3 October 1983, the period within which a claim must be made after leaving a prescribed occupation was increased from 12 months to five years on the recommendation of the industrial injuries advisory council. The council considered five years a reasonable time limit, bearing in mind the difficulties of tracing employment histories and the need to keep the number of claims within the capabilities of the366W audiological services. The 8 October 1977 date is a transitional provision extending this five-year period to seven years for those claiming before 2 October 1984. It benefits those claiming for the first time and some of those reclaiming having previously failed to satisfy the former criteria for paying benefit.