HC Deb 19 May 2004 vol 421 cc984-5W
Chris Ruane

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many miners have been compensated and how much has been paid in compensation under the miners' compensation scheme, broken down by constituency, listed in descending order by region. [172951]

Nigel Griffiths

I refer the hon. Member to the Department's website www.dti.gov.uk/coalhealth/for constituency figures.

The constituencies are listed alphabetically and the information is compiled in the middle of the month and shows the figures for the end of the previous month.

John Mann

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many medical assessments and offers have been disputed by Raleys solicitors under the Coalminers Compensation claim for chronic pulmonary obstructive disease and vibration white finger which have required additional expenditure outwith the costs covered by the Department under the claims handling agreement. [172984]

Nigel Griffiths

[holding answer 13 May 2004]: None.

Huw Irranca-Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether DMH(a) has been removed at any time and (b) is currently removed from the list of approved solicitors dealing with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease compensation claims. [173027]

Nigel Griffiths

[holding answer 13 May 2004]: I can confirm that I wrote to DMH solicitors requesting they confirm that they had not double charged and, if they had, that they repay any deductions. According to the Department's records. I did not receive a reply to this correspondence and subsequently DMH were removed from the list of solicitors on the Department's website.