asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to place on the agenda of the Council of Ministers of the EEC the question of EEC policy on compensation to those suffering from silicosis, pneumoconiosis and allied lung diseases.

I do not think it would be appropriate to raise this matter with the EEC at this stage when the Government are still considering the recommendations on the general question of compensation for personal injury made by the Pearson Commission, whose report contained information about current action in this field by the EEC. Furthermore, it would be preferable to await developments in the interdepartmental working group which is looking into the

					Latest date					Percentage change
United Kingdom	…	…	…	…	June 1978	…	…	…	…	+136
Belgium	…	…	…	…	May 1978*	…	…	…	…	+210
France	…	…	…	…	May 1978	…	…	…	…	+157
Germany	…	…	…	…	May 1978*	…	…	…	…	+117
Ireland	…	…	…	…	February 1978*		…	…	…	+79
Netherlands	…	…	…	…	April 1978*	…	…	…	…	+65
United States	…	…	…	…	May 1978	…	…	…	…	+33
Japan	…	…	…	…	April 1978*	…	…	…	…	+66
* Provisional.

Important changes in the methods of compiling unemployment statistics in Italy and Denmark prevent direct comparisons being made between February 1974 and the current date. Information is not readily available for Luxembourg.