HC Deb 09 May 2001 vol 368 cc217-8W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many former coal miners suffering from(a) emphysema, (b) chronic bronchitis and (c) asthma, or their widows, have outstanding claims for compensation and have received no payment to date; and how many such cases have been paid (i) in full and (ii) in part at the most recent available date. [160611]

Mr. Hain

To date, IRISC, the Department's claims handlers, have received over 145,000 claims in respect of respiratory disease; 1,000 new claims continue to be initiated each week. Of these, almost 95,000 are from live claimants and the remaining 50,000 claims are pursued by the claimants' estate.

Until claims are assessed, the type and level of injury cannot be identified into the categories above.

The Department has made 28,363 interim payments and 8,135 payments in full and final settlement. Together, £142.2 million has been paid in total compensation for respiratory disease to date.

Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many medical assessment procedures were conducted each week since 1 January 2000 in the miners' compensation claim for chest disease. [160497]

Mr. Hain

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 13 March 2001,Official Report, columns 548–49W.

The individual weekly totals from 11 March 2001 to date are as follows:

Week ending Number of MAPs
11 March 659
18 March 565
25 March 570
1 April 537
8 April 694
15 April 541
22 April 507
29 April 757

The total number of MAPs undertaken to date is 18,048.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money has been spent(a) to date and (b) during the last 12 months, under the provisions of the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers' Compensation) Act 1979. [160535]

Mr. Meacher

I have been asked to reply as Minister responsible for the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers' Compensation) Act 1979.

Since the Act came into force in 1980 and up until April 2001, the total amount paid out has been £84.5 million. The total amount paid in the last complete financial year 2000–01 was £11,885,000.