To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many colliery surface workers have (a) claimed and (b) received a payment for pneumoconiosis under the 1974 Coal Industry Pneumoconiosis Scheme since it was introduced, broken down by (i) area and (ii) date on which the claim was made. (104588)

[holding answer 7 December 2006]: The Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis Scheme does not differentiate between colliery surface workers and underground workers.

As such it is not possible to provide data referring specifically to surface workers.