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Written Answers

Volume 431: debated on Wednesday 9 June 1982

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Written Answers

Travel Brochures: Tariff Information

asked Her Majesty's Government:What consultations have taken place with the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), its Retail Agents' Council and its Tour Operators' Council, as well as with the Office of Fair Trading, (a) with a view to a ruling to the effect that package holiday tour operators should quote in their brochures fully inclusive prices so as to include all known airport taxes and security charges; and (b) regarding the incorporation, in the Price Marking (VAT and Ancillary Charges) Order, of a requirement that airport taxes and security charges should be included within the main price panels of these brochures.

The Director-General of Fair Trading encouraged ABTA to draw up a code of conduct for its members when dealing with consumers. This requires brochures to contain clear information about the total price or means of arriving at the total price together with a clear statement of the services included, the date on which the price was calculated and the conditions under which it may be amended.

Last July the Department of Trade sought the views of interested parties about the proposed Price Marking (VAT and Ancillary Charges) Order. This would require traders who quoted prices for goods or services available to consumers either to quote a fully inclusive price or if they quoted any other price to quote as prominently as and adjacent to that price the amount in money terms payable in respect of value added tax, any other taxes and any ancillary charges. The Government are now giving careful consideration to the views which have been expressed.

Pending completion of this consideration, the Director-General has recently asked that tour operators when preparing their summer 1983 brochures will either consolidate airport taxes and security charges into the basic holiday price or will show them separately as prominently as the basic price and displayed close to it. ABTA has drawn its members attention to the Director-General's suggestion.

Mesothelioma And Asbestosis: Death Notifications

  • (a) how many additions to the mesothelioma register maintained by the Health and Safety Executive have been made for each year from 1967 to date; and
  • (b) how many deaths from the following asbestos related diseases have been notified to the Health and Safety Executive for each year from 1967 to date:
  • (i) Asbestosis together with lung cancer
  • (ii) asbestosis together with mesothelioma
  • (iii) asbestosis alone or with other disease
  • (iv) mesothelioma of pleura
  • (v) mesothelioma of peritoneum
  • (vi) mesothelioma of pleura and peritoneum
  • (vii) mesothelioma, site not specified.
  • Cases where mesothelioma is mentioned on the death certificate constitute the mesothelioma register. Additions to the register are therefore as shown in the bottom line of the table below, giving the total figures for death certificates mentioning mesothelioma.

    The Health and Safety Executive is notified of asbestos related diseases by the mention of such diseases on death certificates. The figures requested are as follows:

    DEATH CERTIFICATES MENTIONING SPECIFIED ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES 1968-80

    Year of death

    1968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980
    Asbestosis:
    together with lung cancer25242632444333495359604449
    together with mesothelioma32274029403064507453857266
    alone or with other disease23272133243441486372505347
    TOTAL ASBESTOSIS80788794108107138147190184195169162
    Mesothelioma:
    of pleura99105116105124138142165193206235260235
    of peritoneum14151112192520193022313439
    of pleura and peritoneum3324334461357
    site not specified38366558675775778296112129153
    TOTAL MESOTHELIOMA154159194179210223240265309330391428434

    Notes:

    1. Figures for 1967 have been omitted because they are unreliable.

    2. Figures for 1981 have been omitted because they are incomplete.

    3. Both totals include death certificates mentioning both asbestosis and mesothelioma.

    House adjourned at twenty-two minutes before ten o'clock.