Written question asked by Chris McCafferty (Labour) on Wednesday, 5 November 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 17 November 2003. It was answered by Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour) on Monday, 17 November 2003 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Dept for Work and Pensions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department is able to trace the sources of (a) mesothelioma and (b) other asbestos-related diseases through its records.

Answer: Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department is able to trace the sources of (a) mesothelioma and (b) other asbestos- related diseases through its records. [137383] Mr. Browne: I have been asked to reply. The information held by the Department and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases is not sufficiently detailed to trace accurately the specific sources of such diseases. HSE maintains mesothelioma and asbestosis registers based on information from death certificates but then give only the last known occupation. They also hold information on the medical examinations of asbestos removal workers to assess if in the longer term they are more likely to contract an asbestos-related disease than other occupational groups. Claimants for mesothelioma under the Department's Industrial Injuries Benefit scheme provide details of employers where they claim they were exposed to asbestos. But this is a no-fault scheme that does not attribute the cause to a specific employer.

Secondary information