§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will announce the date when he will introduce new regulations which will permit claimants for disablement benefit, arising from asbestosis and comparable diseases, whose claims have been rejected twice in a year by pneumoconiosis medical panels, to appeal to medical appeal tribunals; and if he will describe what action he intends to take to bring this right of appeal to public attention.
§ Mr. OrmeYes. It is expected that the new regulations, giving a right of appeal where there have been two disallowances at least one year apart, will be laid before Parliament this Friday and will come into operation on 6 April. After that date, anyone whose claim is disallowed following examination by a pneumoconiosis medical board will be told about the new rules for appealing.