Mr. Gareth R. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the impact of the miners' compensation package for lung-related diseases in Wales. [82113]
§ Mr. BattleAgreement on the handling arrangements for claims from former British Coal miners suffering from lung related diseases, in both Wales and England was announced in the High Court in Cardiff on 26 March. A contract for the delivery of a national spirometry programme has now been awarded, which will enable miners to receive fair compensation. We aim to have thirty centres, the first of which opened in Newport during April, operating throughout the coalfield communities by the Summer. Results from these testing centres will enable offers of interim payments and some full and final payments to be made later this month whilst we tender for the medical services needed to deliver the medical assessment process. I am hopeful that significant numbers of full and final settlement offers for valid claims will start flowing early in the second half of this year.
In the meantime, the Government have made payments totalling £28 million to former coal miners and widows, £6.83 million being made to claimants living in Wales.