HC Deb 14 April 1993 vol 222 cc659-61W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of claimants seeking disability compensation for pneumoconiosis has been successful in each year since 1979; and what has been the annual disability benefit paid in each year.

Mr. Scott

The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the numbers of industrial injuries disablement pensions for pneumoconiosis in payment at the end of the statistical period since 1979 are in the table.

Period Pensions current at end of period
1 October 1978 to 30 September 1979 28,610
1 October 1979 to 30 September 1980 27,580
1 October 1980 to 30 September 1981 26,040
1 October 1981 to 30 September 1982 24,800
1 October 1982 to 30 September 1983 23,770
1 October 1983 to 30 September 1984 22,810
1 October 1984 to 30 September 1985 22,140
1 October 1985 to 30 September 1986 20,740
1 October 1986 to 4 April 19871 19,620
6 April 1987 to 2 April 1988 18,820
4 April 1988 to 1 April 1989 17,830
3 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 16,680
2 April 1990 to 31 March 1991 15,990
I April 1991 to 4 April 1992 214,610

Note: These figures are rated up from a 10 per cent. sample.

1Period covers six months only.

22 Provisional figures only.

Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles), of 29 March,Official Report, column 77, what consideration he gave to adopting a period of less than the 20 years aggregate of working underground to establish eligibility for industrial injury disablement.

Mr. Scott

In its report (Cm 2091) the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, which advises the Secretary of State on the prescription of occupational diseases for industrial injuries disablement benefit purposes, recommended extending the list of prescribed diseases to include chronic bronchitis and emphysema in coal miners who meet specified criteria. The Government have accepted the council's recommendation in full.

Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Brentford and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) of 29 March,Official Report, column 77, on industrial injuries disablement benefit for coal miners with bronchitis and emphysema, what decisions underlay the choice of 13 September 1993 as the date from which the regulations will take effect.

Mr. Scott

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, in his reply to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) mentioned the very large number of claims expected from miners and ex-miners when chronic bronchitis and emphysema are added to the list of prescribed industrial diseases; 13 September is the earliest date that the necessary medical and administrative arrangements can be put in place to deal with these claims.

Mrs. Golding

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take steps to include ceramic workers in the list of workers who may claim compensation for chronic bronchitis and emphysema under the arrangements for payment of industrial injury disablement benefit.

Mr. Scott

The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council advises the Secretary of State on the prescription of diseases for industrial injuries disablement benefit purposes. I understand that the council has not received any scientific evidence to suggest that bronchitis and emphysema should be recommended for prescription in relation to ceramic workers.

Mr. Alfred Morris

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of underground coal miners with emphysema and chronic bronchitis who would have qualified for benefit from the recommendation in the report sent to him by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council in August 1992 but have died since he received the report.

Mr. Scott

No such estimate has been made.

Mr. Alfred Morris

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated cost of his decision on the recommendation of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Committee in regard to underground miners with emphysema and chronic bronchitis; and how the cost has been computed.

Mr. Scott

The current estimate of the net additional full-year benefit cost of implementing the council's recommendation to prescribe chronic bronchitis and emphysema in underground coal miners is in the region of £6 million. This estimate is based on the assumption that around 9,000 awards will be made. Some 4,000 of these will be to miners and ex-miners currently receiving industrial injuries disablement benefit for pneumoconiosis but who, following the prescription of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, will qualify for extra benefit. The remainder will be to those miners and ex-miners who newly qualify for benefit.

These estimates have drawn upon departmental records concerning pneumonoconiosis cases and upon the assistance of British Coal.