Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (Hansard, 3 April 1996)

§ Mrs. Helen Jackson
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will extend industrial disease No. Al2 to include frequent and repeated movements of the hand and wrist as a cause of carpal tunnel syndrome, in addition to the use of hand-held vibrating tools. [23972]

§ Mr. Roger Evans
There are no plans at present to extend the current terms of prescription in respect of carpal tunnel syndrome.

§ Mrs. Jackson
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases of carpal tunnel syndrome were granted compensation under industrial injuries legislation in each of the last five years. [23971]

§ Mr. Evans
The information is not available in the format requested. Carpal tunnel syndrome in respect of hand-held vibrating tools was added only in April 1993 to the list of prescribed diseases for which industrial injuries disablement benefit can be paid. The available information is set out in the table:

Results of initial medical assessments where carpel tunnel syndrome is diagnosed from 19 April 1993 to 30 September 1995

Period All cases 0 per cent.¹ 1–13 per cent.² 14–100per cent.

19 April 1993 to 31 December 1993 254 205 40 9

1 January 1994 to 31 December 1994 434 116 263 55

1 January 1995 to 30 September 1995 241 44 158 39

Grand total 929 365 461 103

¹Cases where there is no loss of faculty or it is assessed at less than 1 per cent.

² Benefit is normally paid only for assessments of 14 per cent. or more. Entitlement to benefit could arise if an assessment in this range could be aggregated with one or more other assessments to reach 14 per cent.

1. Based on 100 per cent. count of cases.

Results of initial medical assessments where carpel tunnel syndrome is diagnosed from 19 April 1993 to 30 September 1995
Period	All cases	0 per cent.¹	1–13 per cent.²	14–100per cent.
19 April 1993 to 31 December 1993	254	205	40	9
1 January 1994 to 31 December 1994	434	116	263	55
1 January 1995 to 30 September 1995	241	44	158	39
Grand total	929	365	461	103
¹Cases where there is no loss of faculty or it is assessed at less than 1 per cent.
² Benefit is normally paid only for assessments of 14 per cent. or more. Entitlement to benefit could arise if an assessment in this range could be aggregated with one or more other assessments to reach 14 per cent.