§ Mr. BarronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the 10 human carcinogens his Department assesses to be most dangerous, giving in each case estimates of the number of the(a) deaths and (b) illnesses they cause. [20024]
§ Mr. HoramThere are many types of human cancer and for most the causes are not fully understood. Genetic, behavioural and environmental factors all have a role, but it is difficult to accurately quantify the mortality and morbidity caused by each specific factor.
Smoking has been associated with lung cancer and several other cancer sites and has been shown to contribute to approximately 30 per cent. of all cancer deaths. Smoking is responsible for at least 80 per cent. of deaths from lung cancer which represents over 25,000 deaths per annum in England and Wales.
It has been estimated that geophysical factors, ultraviolet light and background ionising radiation, may account for about 3 per cent. of all cancer deaths. Of lung cancer deaths it is estimated that around 5 per cent., some 1,600 a year in England, might be partially attributed to exposure to radon.
640WThe available medical and scientific data have also identified alcoholic beverages, life style factors, certain chemical processes and a number of individual chemicals that may pose a carcinogenic risk to humans. Readily available data do not enable the presentation of comprehensive, robust and comparable estimates of numbers of deaths or illnesses which can be attributed to each of these agents.