HC Deb 20 March 2002 vol 382 c429W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people receive industrial injury benefit as a result of suffering from asbestosis. [37112]

Mr. Nicholas Brown

Asbestosis is a generic term for all asbestos-related diseases. The prescribed diseases (PDs) relating specifically to those suffering from the effects of exposure to asbestos are diffuse mesothelioma (PD3), primary carcinoma of the lung (PD8) where there is evidence of asbestosis and diffuse pleural thickening (PD9). In addition pneumoconiosis (PD 1) can relate to asbestosis but also to silicosis (which is not an asbestos-related disease).

The available information is in the table.

Number of cases where industrial injuries disablement benefit was in payment as at 1 April 2000
Disease Number
Pneumoconiosis (PDI) 111,000
Diffuse mesothelioma (PD3) 1,000
Primary carcinoma (PD8) 2200
Diffuse pleural thickening (PD9) 2,000
1 This figure also includes cases of silicosis which is not an asbestos-related disease. Separate figures for asbestos-related disease only in this category are not available.
2 As this figure is less than 500 it should be treated as an indication of the number of cases only.

Source:

Figures are from a 10 per cent. sample of IIDB assessments in payment, and are rounded to the nearest 1,000.