HC Deb 04 July 1979 vol 969 cc603-4W
Mr. Best

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how claims may be made under the provisions of the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers' Compensation) Act 1979, which came into force today; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Mayhew

The Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers' Compensation) Determination of Claims Regulations 1979 which were laid before Parliament and come into force today provide for claims to be made in such form, provided by the Secretary of State, as he may determine. Application forms are now available from the Department of Employment:

  • HSL 6
  • Rex House
  • 4–12 Regent Street
  • LONDON SW1
  • Office for Wales:
  • Companies House
  • Crown Way
  • MAINDY
  • Cardiff
  • Office for Scotland:
  • Pentlands House
  • 47 Robb's Loan
  • EDINBURGH EH14 1TW

Application forms will be available in Welsh at Cardiff by 16 July.

I regret that it has not yet been possible to lay before the House draft regulations prescribing the amount of payments to be made under the Act. The construction of an appropriate schedule of payments has proved technically more difficult than was orginally envisaged.

It is now clear that it will be impossible to lay these draft regulations in sufficient time for them to be approved, as I had hoped, before the Summer Recess, but I shall ensure that they are ready to be laid immediately Parliament reassembles. The first payments will, accordingly, be made later in the autumn than had been foreseen. Claims should, however, be made now, to enable payments to be made as soon as the regulations come into force.