asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people working in the National Health Service were absent because of industrial injury or suffering from a prescribable industrial disease in 1975, 1976, 1977, and to date in 1978; what was the financial cost to the Service; what steps are being taken to reduce the number of people absent from these causes; how many people have been absent due to sickness in these years; what was the cost to the Service; and what will be the cost of setting up health and safety committees as required under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 8th May 1978; Vol. 949, c. 370–1], gave the following information.I regret that there are no separate figures available centrally for the numbers of staff absent from the NHS for these reasons or for the cost of such absences. Most staff who were absent on account of industrial injury or prescribable industrial disease would have received benefits under the industrial injuries arrangements provided under the national insurance scheme. It is estimated on the basis of sample statistics that in the year ended 31st May 1975, the latest year for which statistics are available, persons employed in the medical and dental services in England, Scotland and Wales commenced some 13,000 spells of certified incapacity resulting from industrial accidents or prescribed diseases. Most of the staff concerned were NHS employees—who number in total over 1 million—but the figures also include staff working in other services or the private sector.A small number of staff have been awarded benefits under the National Health Service Injury Benefit Regulations 1974 on account of permanent incapacity arising out of industrial injury or disease. The numbers of awards—England and Wales only—were:

1975	21
1976	33
1977	25
1978	(to date) 10

Individual health authorities are responsible for taking steps to keep absences arising from industrial injury or disease to a minimum, in line with their general responsibilities as employers and the specific duties imposed on them by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.It has been estimated that the cost of bringing the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 into force in the NHS in England, Scotland and Wales might be in the region of £6 million in the first full year of operation. The actual cost will, of course, depend on the arrangements agreed by individual health authorities in the light of their obligations under the regulations.