§ Mr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent research he has evaluated on the correlation between the incidence of cancer and related illnesses and methods of production and working practices in the electronics and information technology industry; and if he will make a statement. [30774]
§ Mr. GalbraithThe Chief Scientist's Office at The Scottish Office Department of Health has not funded any research projects on the correlation between the incidence of cancer and related illnesses and the electronics industry.
The Health and Safety Executive will, however, be publishing on 4 March 1998 a report of its investigation into the risk of miscarriage for women working in the UK semiconductor industry.
§ Mr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received concerning the incidence of(a) cancer and (b) related illnesses in communities which provide the labour force for companies engaged in the electronics and information technology industry; and if he will make a statement. [30773]
§ Mr. GalbraithNone. I am aware however of recent media coverage in Scotland about the incidence of miscarriages among women working in the electronics industry. The Health and Safety Executive, which has responsibility for workplace issues, has recently completed a five year study into miscarriage rates in the semiconductor industry. The findings of the study will be published on 4 March 1998.
§ Mr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the incidence of cancer and related illnesses in the Inverclyde Council area in each of the past 10 years; what is the average incidence for similar-sized populations elsewhere in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.[30775]
§ Mr. GalbraithThe table shows the incidence of cancer in Inverclyde and selected other local government districts in the west of Scotland between 1986 and 1995.
271W
Incidence of cancer in Inverclyde and several other local government districts in 1986–95: Numbers of new cases (incidence) and incidence rates per 100,000 by sex and year of diagnosis
All malignant neoplasms (ICD-9 140–208, excluding 173)
Year of diagnosis 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 Total 1986–95
Incidence rate 387.2 443.8 412.8 454.3 473.7 425.5 499.2 459.5 438.3 430.6 442.5 Females Incidence 260 304 334 274 335 318 326 320 347 317 3,135 Incidence rate 362.8 422.7 463.9 379.4 463.4 439.7 451.7 443.2 480.4 437.8 434.5 City of Glasgow Males Incidence 1,929 1,947 1,808 1,867 1,842 1,895 1,930 1,839 1,924 1,788 18,769 Incidence rate 557.6 569.5 537.7 562.7 561.8 579.3 593.1 567.1 593.9 556.2 567.7 Females Incidence 1,898 1,851 1,910 1,939 1,952 1,868 1,927 1,854 1,931 1,894 19,024 Incidence rate 497.1 490.8 514.9 528.2 538.4 516.7 537.0 519.0 542.3 536.0 521.7
Incidence of cancer in Inverclyde and several other local government districts in 1986–95: Numbers of new cases (incidence) and incidence rates per 100,000 by sex and year of diagnosis
All malignant neoplasms (ICD-9 140–208, excluding 173)
Year of diagnosis 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 Total 1986–95
Inverclyde Males Incidence 204 216 214 234 212 201 218 245 235 250 2,229 Incidence rate 439.7 470.8 473.7 524.1 481.1 459.2 500.9 568.6 549.2 588.5 504.5 Females Incidence 204 202 223 228 242 233 261 221 218 263 2,295 Incidence rate 406.0 405.9 454.0 469.7 502.7 487.4 549.8 471.2 467.9 569.1 477.3 Renfrew Males Incidence 365 432 424 446 404 399 480 472 475 470 4,367 Incidence rate 370.8 442.5 436.2 459.1 414.7 412.5 496.6 487.4 488.7 479.4 448.7 Females Incidence 397 407 434 419 449 445 512 571 500 467 4,601 Incidence rate 374.7 387.8 415.2 401.0 428.0 427.2 491.8 547.4 478.6 444.4 439.5