HC Deb 08 March 1988 vol 129 cc189-90W
Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what provision there will be for the storage of thoracic organs by the pneumoconiosis panel, after the abolition of industrial death benefit, in order to allow for subsequent re-examination of the tissue in cases where it was not recognised at the time that death was due to industrial causes.

Mr. Scott

After the abolition of Industrial Death Benefit on 11 April 1988 the medical boarding centres (respiratory diseases)—formerly the pneumonoconiosis medical panels — will cease to have access to thoracic organs except where a coroner seeks the advice of the centre to establish a cause of death. There will be no provision for storage of thoracic organs at the medical boarding centre (respiratory diseases). Any storage of tissue for further examination will he the responsibility of the coroner, and their subsequent disposal is a matter entirely for the coroner to decide.

Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what provision there will be for the posthumous payment of industrial disablement benefit in cases of people who are proved to have been suffering from an asbestos-related disease at post-mortem, in the light of the fact that, with the abolition of industrial death benefit from 1 April, there will be no requirement for the pneumoconiosis panel to examine thoracic organs after death.

Expenditure on all non-directly employed National Health Service staff (including agency) and the number of agency nursing and midwifery staff by region—1986
Non-National Health Service staff (including agency) 1986–871 Agency nursing and midwifery staff September 19862
Region Total Nursing Total Nurses Midwives
Northern 852 45 41 41
Yorkshire 4,505 1,239 90 89 1
Trent 2,857 157
East Anglian 4,436 2,025 183 182 1
North West Thames 28,534 15,058 1,363 1,332 31
North East Thames 35,006 19,299 1,399 1,269 130
South East Thames 21,013 11,727 862 768 94
South West Thames 19,963 8,377 621 595 26

Mr. Scott

After the abolition of industrial death benefit on 11 April 1988 dependants will continue to be able to claim industrial injuries disablement benefit posthumously if they consider that the deceased may have been suffering in life from a prescribed disease, including an asbestos-related disease. Claims will be decided on the available evidence from post-mortem reports and records in life.

Forward to