§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which the compensation recovery unit will take money away from asbestosis victims who have successfully pursued their claims in the civil courts;
(2) in what circumstances (a) the mining industry and (b) other industries are liable to compensation recovery unit deductions where victims of industrial disease have successfully made claims for compensation;
(3) what are the circumstances in which terminally ill people face recovery of court awards from the compensation recovery unit; and what diseases are covered by the rules.
§ Mr. ScottUnder the provisions of the compensation recovery scheme, an amount equivalent to the value of relevant benefits paid in consequence of asbestosis or other disease, accident or injury should be deducted if the compensation award exceeds £2,500.
The scheme applies to all types of industry and the provisions make no distinction between claims made in the civil courts and out-of-court settlements, nor between types of disease.
Compensation claims from people who are terminally ill may also be affected, but the legislation prescribes certain exempt cases, including payments made under the terms of the pneumoconiosis compensation scheme operated by agreement between British Coal and the mining unions.