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12.
Mr. Boardman
asked the Minister of Labour how far progress is being made towards the prevention of byssinosis amongst those who work in cotton mills.
Mr. Watkinson
Extensive research has been carried out for some years into the problem of preventing the emission of dust in cotton mills which may cause byssinosis. This has been done under the auspices of a joint committee appointed by the Chief Inspector of Factories with assistance from the Shirley Institute and individual cotton mills. Some progress has been made though the problem has not yet been finally solved. Improved methods of dust exhaustion are now the subject of further experiment to determine their suitability for general application.
| County (1) | Number of cases referred to Advisory Panels in 1953 | Number of cases allowed deferment in 1953 | |||||
| First Applications (2) | Applications for extension (3) | First Applications (4) | Applications for extension (5)* | ||||
| Lancashire | … | … | 450 | 149 | 375 | 582 | |
| Cheshire … | … | … | … | 370 | 281 | 333 | 430 |
| Staffordshire | … | … | 290 | 38 | 269 | 396 | |
| Derbyshire | … | … | 316 | 12 | 295 | 403 | |
| * The figures in column (5) include those cases referred to anAdvisory Panel (column (3)). Applications for extension of deferment can be granted by a National Service Deferment Board without reference to a Panel. | |||||||