HC Deb 26 April 1996 vol 276 cc314-5W
Mr. Ian McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims under the industrial injury scheme were made by people suffering from occupational asthma; how many of these claims were(a) successful and (b) unsuccessful broken down by region and gender in each case in the past five years. [25781]

Mr. Roger Evans

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the tables. A breakdown by gender is available only in relation to medical boarding and is set out in tables 2 to 5. Industrial injuries disablement benefit is not normally payable for assessments below 14 per cent.

Table 1
Calendar year 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
Number of claims to occupational asthma 1,518 1,584 1,751 1,703 1,690
Number not referred for medical assessment1,2 925 25 193 181 3N/A
Number not diagnosed by medical board2 300 1,006 1,048 1,016 3N/A

Notes:

  1. 1 Only claims which satisfy employment rules are referred for medical examination.
  2. 2 Claims may not necessarily be decided during the year of receipt.
  3. 3 N/A-not available.

Source:

Benefits Agency Central Data Unit and based on 100 per cent. count.

Table 4: Number of medical cases referred to a medical board relating to occupational asthma in 1993
All boardings Males not diagnosed Males diagnosed 1-13 per cent. Males diagnosed 14-100 per cent. Females not diagnosed Females diagnosed 1-13 per cent. Females diagnosed 14-100 per cent.
Cardiff 122 44 2 41 13 6 16
Swansea 19 8 1 7 2 Nil 1
Glasgow 122 75 3 21 13 1 9
Stoke on Trent 160 72 13 50 6 1 18
Sheffield 426 234 27 95 43 5 22
Manchester 270 184 8 29 40 4 5
Newcastle 269 179 3 56 20 1 10
London 170 83 11 23 32 7 14
Total all boards 1,558 879 68 322 169 25 95

Table 5: Number of medical cases referred to a medical board relating to occupational asthma in 1994
All boardings Males not diagnosed Males diagnosed 1-13 per cent. Males diagnosed 14-100 per cent. Females not diagnosed Females diagnosed 1-13 per cent. Females diagnosed 14-100 per cent.
Cardiff 113 48 7 35 12 3 8
Swansea 35 15 1 15 1 Nil 3
Glasgow 88 57 2 21 4 Nil 4
Edinburgh 72 35 1 18 9 Nil 9
Stoke on Trent 179 77 15 53 16 3 15
Sheffield 300 154 13 74 33 6 20
Manchester 289 200 16 26 34 4 9
Newcastle 285 179 4 70 26 1 5
London 161 92 7 32 24 3 3
Total all boards 1,522 857 66 344 159 20 76

Source Tables 2-5: Benefits agency disability benefit centres and based on 100 per cent. count.