HC Deb 06 May 2004 vol 420 cc1486-8
9. Anne Picking (East Lothian) (Lab)

What action she is taking to ensure full payment of compensation to coal health claimants. [170686]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Nigel Griffiths)

The Government established two schemes to compensate miners for industrial diseases. So far, more than 340,000 sick miners, their widows or children have received £2 billion. I have taken steps to ensure that those who are eligible receive their full compensation payments.

Anne Picking

I thank my hon. Friend very much for that answer. I am sure he will agree that what the Government are doing in terms of compensation for miners is a good news story. It has been seriously marred, however, by the long delays caused by the unscrupulous behaviour of lawyers and third parties involved. Because the case of a constituent of mine, Mr. Brian Davie, has taken so long, his fee has gone up from 5 per cent. to 15 per cent., which they will glean. We want the money to get to the dying miners—the proud miners who spent 40-odd years down the pits working very hard and who are likely to die before they get their money. Will he fast-track the cases of those who are still alive?

Nigel Griffiths

Certainly I want my hon. Friend's constituent to benefit, as 2,000 of her constituents have benefited, from compensation of £8 million paid in East Lothian to date. I advise all her constituents, and all hon. Members' constituents, to use those who have signed the claims handling agreement, which makes no charge to the claimant because the Department of Trade and Industry meets those fees. It is unacceptable that anyone should have to pay fees out of their compensation and see any increase in their fees. I will be keen to have details of the case that my hon. Friend mentioned.

Mr. Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire) (Con)

The Government are to be congratulated on this scheme. What casts a shadow over it, as has been said, is the amount of money that has been paid to solicitors. When the Minister says from the Dispatch Box that there has been no charge on the individuals, and it has been covered by the Department, of course, that is still a cost on the taxpayer. Is the Minister satisfied and happy with the way in which the legal profession has responded to this scheme?

Nigel Griffiths

Yes, I am, by and large. An agreement was reached with the responsible solicitors, the profession and other claims handlers early in the compensation scheme to ensure that every penny that the Government set aside for compensation went to the sick miners, their widows or their families. A separate fund totalling many millions of pounds was set up to pay the legal fees. Those were capped at, from memory, about £2,100, and that agreement was acceptable to all. This is the biggest public compensation scheme in our history. I am grateful for the expert legal advice and help that we have had from the legal profession, and I want to see the payments made as quickly as possible to those sick miners, and when they have passed on, to their widows or families.

Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover) (Lab)

Is the Minister aware that, after privatisation, many miners, especially in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire coalfield, decided to work for private contractors at different pits? In some cases, they worked for the Coal Board, British Coal and perhaps two or three others. The problem is that some of the unscrupulous firms for which the miners worked refuse to take part in the multi-settlement that is necessary. Will my hon. Friend make sure that he gets on to those firms to make them pay their share of the bill? Did he also detect that the hon. Member for West Derbyshire (Mr. McLoughlin) almost hinted that if the Tories got into power they might scrap the scheme?

Nigel Griffiths

That would indeed be terrible. My hon. Friend speaks with great authority on this matter. I want to ensure that no party is responsible for any delay in the securing of a settlement. We are currently looking at those who are not co-operating fully to establish how we can neutralise that unco-operative attitude and make certain that payments are made, especially to claimants who are still alive and can benefit.