§ Mr. SkinnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the progress made by his Department towards establishing a compensation scheme for the condition known as vibration white finger. [59006]
§ Mr. BattleI fully understand the frustration of miners with VWF who have been waiting for their compensation and I am keen to start assessing claims and making payments quickly. We need to ensure that full and fair compensation is paid, but both sides have to work within the legal framework.
My priority has always been to agree arrangements with the claimants' solicitors to allow claims to be processed. We recently served our proposed handling arrangements on the plaintiffs' solicitors, revised in the light of the Court of Appeal judgment. We hope to agree arrangements with the claimants' solicitors as soon as possible. We are also proposing to the plaintiffs a single medical assessment process as a means of expediting the handling of the claims objectively. Following a meeting on 2 November, they have agreed to participate in a pilot of the medical process, this is due to commence on 1 December.
In the meantime, further work is being done to minimise any further delay once a final agreement has been reached. For instance, sets of testing equipment have already been purchased and work is in hand to identify organisations able to deliver the single medical assessment.