HC Deb 30 November 2000 vol 357 c776W
Mr. Clapham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many deaths there were from mesothelioma and what the standard mortality rate was in each(a) county and (b) district, for the most recent year for which figures are available. [140761]

Mr. Meacher

The Health and Safety Executive maintains a register of deaths in Great Britain for which mesothelioma is mentioned on the death certificate. The latest year for which data are available is 1998.

A paper produced by HSE's Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit (EMSU), `Mesothelioma area statistics: county districts in Great Britain 1986–1995' is the most up-to-date analysis of the mesothelioma register by the old local government structure (phased out between 1995–98), and is available in the Libraries of the House. No further analysis was undertaken during the progressive introduction of unitary authorities between 1995–98. The first complete year of mesothelioma deaths based on the new geography is 1998. A table showing the number of mesothelioma deaths in 1998 and the death rates (per million people) by the new government structure has been placed in the Libraries of the House.