Vibration White Finger

HC Deb 10 November 1999 vol 337 c639W

Mr. Todd

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in establishing procedures to compensate sufferers of vibration white finger from the former mining industry; how much compensation has been paid to date; and if he will make a statement. [97815]

Mrs. Liddell

We signed the Handling Agreement with the solicitors representing the miners, which sets out the procedures for settling the 50,000+ expected VWF claims on 22 January. As at 31 October we had made interim and general damage payments totalling some £45 million.

I announced in July that we had awarded a contract to Sema Group for the delivery of the medical assessment process. Tests began in September, six centres are now open, and they plan to have 12 centres in operation across the mining regions by January.