HC Deb 10 November 1999 vol 337 cc638-9W
Mr. Todd

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in establishing procedures to compensate sufferers of diminished lung function from the former mining industry; how much compensation has been paid to date; and if he will make a statement. [97814]

Mrs. Liddell

We signed the Handling Agreement with the solicitors representing the miners, which sets out the procedures for settling 100,000+ expected respiratory disease claims on 24 September. As at 31 October we had made bereavement awards, and interim and expedited payments totalling some £39 million.

We have developed a programme of screening spirometry to prioritise claimants proceeding through to the next stage of the process and to make interim or expedited offers where possible. 70 per cent. of the 43,000 live claimants identified in May have now been invited to screening spirometry throughout the UK. We expect to complete virtually all of the spirometry by early next year. On 5 October the contract to deliver the full Medical Assessment Process was awarded to Healthcall. The first full medical assessments should begin in the next month.