§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of workers who suffer from bilateral diffuse pleural thickening of the lung and lung cavity accompanied by asbestosis and the number of those who have bilateral diffuse pleural thickening of the lung related to asbestosis; and what is his estimate of the cost of implementing the recommendations of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Committee in relation to these workers.
§ Mr. NewtonIt is not possible to estimate accurately the number of workers in the categories specified. The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council has recommended that bilateral diffuse pleural thickening should be prescribed as an industrial disease in asbestos workers where it is accompanied by a measurable degree of disability and the prescription of lung cancer where accompanied by asbestosis or by bilateral diffuse pleural thickening. The cost of implementing these recommendations is estimated to be about £70,000 in the first year and about £150,000 in the second year. The annual cost would be expected to rise slightly in subsequent years.