Silicosis

Department for Work and Pensions written question – answered at on 12 July 2019.

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Photo of Stephen Morgan Stephen Morgan Labour, Portsmouth South

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data her Department holds on the proportion of (a) construction workers and (b) the general population with silicosis.

Photo of Justin Tomlinson Justin Tomlinson The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions

Statistics are not available for the proportion of construction workers and the general population that currently have silicosis. However, statistics are available for numbers of annual new cases of silicosis assessed for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB).

Silicosis, along with coal workers pneumoconiosis and asbestosis are the most common forms of pneumoconiosis, which is a prescribed disease within the IIDB scheme. Pneumoconiosis cases not specifically identified as asbestosis or coal workers’ pneumoconiosis are mainly silicosis and the annual numbers of such cases newly assessed for IIDB over the last ten years are shown in the table below. Of these annual cases, those associated with the construction industry are also shown.

The number of silicosis cases within the IIDB scheme is likely to be lower than the true incidence of this disease. This is because IIDB does not compensate anyone who is self-employed, and not all affected individuals apply to the scheme.

Annual new cases of pneumoconiosis not recorded as asbestosis or coal workers’ pneumoconiosis assessed for IIDB, 2008-2017

Year

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Total

All cases

85

80

60

50

40

45

55

25

30

30

500

Cases associated with construction

20

20

15

10

5

10

20

10

10

10

130

Note: values have been rounded to the nearest 5 to meet disclosure rules.

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