§ Lord Hardy of Wathasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the total expenditure on legal and administrative activity in regard to the Mineworkers Emphysema and Bronchitis Scheme since 1993. [HL5241]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleThe total costs paid to miners' solicitors for respiratory disease for the period 1 January 1998 to 14 July 2002 is £66 million.
For the period April 1999 to March 2002 the department spent £74.3 million externally in respect of administrative expenditure on all coal health claims. The areas of expenditure covered include: record collection and medical assessments; claims handling; the department's own legal costs and professional advice.
For the period January 1999 to March 2002 the department spent £2.6 million internally in respect of administrative expenditure on all coal health claims. A single figure for the Mineworkers Emphysema and Bronchitis Scheme is not readily available.
§ Lord Lofthouse of Pontefractasked Her Majesty's Government:
In respect of mineworkers' respiratory claims, whether the contract between the Department of Trade and Industry and Healthcall, which expires on 1 November 2002 (subject to 12 months' extension), was formally re-tendered; and, if not, why not. [HL5330]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleIn February 2002, the department issued an expression of interest notice about the respiratory disease medical assessment contract. The invitation to tender was sent out to interested parties in April 2002. Following this re-tendering process, my honourable friend the Minister for Energy and Construction announced on 2 July that SchlumbergerSema had been awarded the contract.
SchlumbergerSema will take over the contract from Healthcall on 1 November 2002.
§ Lord Lofthouse of Pontefractasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the Department of Trade and Industry has awarded a contract to SchlumbergerSema for the provision of medical services in connection with mineworkers' respiratory claims when that company is already heavily involved with work under an earlier contract with the department for mineworkers' Vibration White Finger (VWF) claims. [HL5331]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleThe contract for medical assessments in connection with miners' respiratory claims was put out to competitive tender and SchlumbergerSema put in the best bid.
117WASchlumbergerSema's current work in relation to its contract with the department for mineworkers' vibration white finger has no bearing upon its contract for respiratory claims. The VWF contract uses an entirely different team of doctors, technicians and managers.