HL Deb 12 March 1985 vol 461 cc161-2WA
Lord Plant

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are:—

  1. (a) the number of cases of asbestosis newly diagnosed by each of the Pneumoconiosis Medical Panels following a claim for industrial disablement benefit for each year from 1981 to date.
  2. (b) the number of cases in each year in which asbestosis was not diagnosed by each of the panels following such a claim.
  3. (c) the number of cases in each year in which asbestosis accompanied by lung cancer was diagnosed by each of the panels following such a claim, and
  4. (d) the number of cases of mesothelioma diagnosed by each of the panels during the claimant's lifetime for the years 1981 to 1984 and the number of cases in which the claimant has died before a decision has been made.

Lord Glenarthur

(a) The following table shows the number of cases of pneumoconiosis (asbestosis) newly diagnosed by each of the Medical Boarding Centres (Respiratory Diseases), formerly the Pneumoconiosis Medical Panels, for each year from 1981 to 1983.

1981 1982 1983
Cardiff 14 17 12
Glasgow 22 26 45
London 18 23 31
Manchester 29 35 36
Newcastle 23 26 31
Sheffield 27 41 26
Stoke 6 3 12
Swansea 1 1 6
These figures are the latest available.

(b) The following table shows the number of cases where pneumoconiosis (asbestosis) was not diagnosed by each of the Medical Boarding Centres (Respiratory Diseases).

1881 1982 1983
Cardiff 45 40 57
Glasgow 30 35 44
London 57 71 78
Manchester 58 96 100
Newcastle 46 52 43
Sheffield 33 42 45
Stoke 4 12 21
Swansea 4 5 5
These figures are the latest vailable.

(c) The number of cases where pneumoconiosis (asbestosis) accompanied by lung cancer was diagnosed by the Medical Boarding Centres (Respiratory Diseases) is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

(d) The following table shows the number of diffuse mesothelioma cases newly diagnosed by each of the Medical Boarding Centres (Respiratory Diseases) for the years 1981 to 1984.

1981 1982 1983 1984
Cardiff 15 23 16 27
Glasgow 20 14 34 32
London 11 32 23 47
Manchester 15 14 14 24
Newcastle 18 23 27 40
Sheffield 7 11 27 22
Stoke 5 5 6 5
Swansea 2 1 1 4
Figures for the number of cases in which the claimant died before a deduction had been made are not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.