HC Deb 29 October 1997 vol 299 cc821-2W
Dr. Gibson

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the figures for deaths through asbestos-related diseases in Norfolk over the last five years. [12954]

Mrs. Liddell

[holding answer 27 October 1997]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Tim Holt to Dr. Ian Gibson, dated 29 October 1997: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply, as Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), to your recent Parliamentary question asking for the figures for deaths through asbestos-related diseases in Norfolk over the last five years. The latest data available are given in the following table:

Deaths from asbestos-related diseases in Norfolk 1993–1996
Number
1993 12
1994 18
1995 24
1996 21

Note:

Since 1993, the ONS has coded all diseases, injuries, drugs, operations and external causes mentioned on death certificates. This information is held electronically and the ONS was able to extract data for 1993–1996. It is not possible to produce comparable figure for years prior to 1993, and any figures that could be produced would be in excess of the advisory limit for answering Parliamentary Questions.

Deaths from asbestos-related diseases were identified as those deaths certified with:

  1. 1. An underlying cause of asbestosis (International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision [ICD9]501), or
  2. 2. An underlying cause of lung cancer (ICD9 162) with secondary cause accidental poisoning-other metals (ICD9 E866.4); or
  3. 3. Any other case where mesothelioma was mentioned on the death certificate.