§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 20 January 2000, 607W Official Report, column 521W, what has been the average proportion of compensation paid to successful claims on coal miners' compensation for chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which relates to general damages for pain suffering and loss of amenity. [107175]
§ Mrs. LiddellOf the 1,047 claims settled to date the vast majority have been on the basis of a claimant electing to accept an expedited payment following screening spirometry rather than proceeding through a full medical assessment. Such payments are not broken down separately into general and special damages. Nine claims have been settled to date where general and special damages have been separately assessed. The average proportion of compensation paid that relate to general damages, in these cases, is 53 per cent.