§ Mr. RowlandsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will list the type of machines covered by provisions relating to industrial deafness; when that list was compiled; when it was last revised; and whether he will review the list.
§ Mr. ScottI have been asked to reply. The machines specified in the jobs prescribed for occupational deafness are listed in schedule 1, part 1, of the Social Security (Industrial Injuries) (Prescribed Diseases) Regulations 1985 as amended by regulation 2 of the Social Security (Industrial Injuries) (Prescribed Diseases) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 1987. The list can also be found in leaflet NI 207 "If you think your job has made you deaf—copies of which are available in the Library. The list was first prescribed in 1975 and last revised in 1988. The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council reviewed the list in Cm. 817 "Occupational Deafness"—October 1989—but decisions on its recommendations were deferred pending a further report from the council on improving the administrative arrangements for dealing with claims for this disease. This report will be published very shortly. The council has asked the Department to evaluate the feasibility of the report's recommendations within six months. It should then be easier to determine whether there are orderly ways in which to extend provision for this disease to further occupations.