PRESCRIBED DISEASES AND THE USE OF PNEUMATIC PERCUSSION TOOLS

That this House is aware that UK legislation covering access to industrial injuries disablement benefits and appropriate compensation for noise-induced hearing loss is currently woefully inadequate, a factor proven by the exemption from valid claims of thousands of workers whose health has been damaged directly because of their employers use of pneumatic percussion tools to drill stone or other solid substances other than in the severely restricted confines of a quarry, underground coalmine, shaft or tunnelling works; believes such blatantly unfair legal discrimination should not be countenanced; and calls on the Government immediately to take all necessary steps to bring forward amendments to the Social Security Contribution and Benefits Act 1992 and thereafter accordingly to bring forward all necessary changes to the Social Security (Industrial Injuries) Prescribed Diseases Regulations.