§ Mr. RogersTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security at what date he will commence recovering the full amount of any benefits paid to victims of industrial disease who have been awarded compensation either by a court or agreed by an out-of-court settlement; and how long this procedure will take in individual cases.
§ Mr. ScottThe scheme under which amounts equivalent to benefit are recovered from compensation payments starts on 3 September 1990. Any compensation payment over £2,500 made on or after that date will be subject to recovery. It will apply to industrial diseases if the first claim for benefit naming the disease for which compensation is sought was on or after 1 January 1989.
Before a court award is made or a settlement offered, the compensator will seek a certificate showing how much is to be deducted and paid to the Department. On receipt of a properly completed application, legislation requires the Department to supply the information to the compensator within four weeks.