HC Deb 20 March 2001 vol 365 cc181-3W
Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many miners have died before receiving

under the DTI's New and Renewable Energy programme since 1991—92 could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

compensation awarded to them as a result of the High Court action brought by NACODS; and if he will make a statement. [154186]

Mr. Hain

The Department's claims handling agents, 1RISC, have registered a total of 7,468 claims by former miners who have died and where the date of death is after the date of claim. In all these cases, the claims will be continued by the claimant's widow or dependants. In addition, where the claimant's death certificate shows that one of the respiratory diseases for which British Coal were found liable either caused or materially contributed to the death, the Department will also make bereavement or loss of society awards. To date, the Department has made 5,197 bereavement or loss of society awards, totalling £43.1 million.

In addition, the Department is also making £2,000 interim payments to those widows who have previously received a bereavement award but still await payment of damages.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many outstanding cases there are of applications for compensation to invalid miners following the High Court action brought by NACODS; what the figure was in November 2000; and if he will make a statement. [154182]

Mr. Hain

As at 26 November, some 127,925 claims were registered for respiratory disease and 115,034 for Vibration White Finger, VWF. Of these, 122,380 and 96,263 respectively remained outstanding.

As at 11 March 2001, some 138,294 claims have been registered for respiratory disease and 117,908 for VWF. Of these, 130,517 and 96,263 respectively remain outstanding.

To date, the Department has paid out £124.6 million in respect of compensation for respiratory disease and £235.3 million in relation to VWF. The Department continues to pay out around £1 million a day in mining compensation.

About 1,000 new claims are being registered each week.

Mr. Todd

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims have been made in respect of respiratory diseases by(a) the sufferer and (b) widows and dependants where the claimant has died after the date of claim. [147804]

Mr. Hain

The Department's claim handling agents, IRISC, have registered a total of 6,802 claims by former miners who have died and where the date of death is after the date of claim. In all these cases the claims will be continued by the claimant's widow or dependants. In addition, where the claimant's death certificate shows that one of the respiratory diseases for which British Coal were found liable either caused or materially contributed to the death, the Department will also make a bereavement award to the claimant's widow. To date the Department has made 5,200 bereavement awards, totalling £43.1 million. In addition, we announced on 2 March that we propose to make £2,000 interim payments to those widows who have previously received a bereavement award but still await payment on account of damages.

IRISC are not informed by solicitors of the dates of death of widows and dependants and the information is therefore not available.