HC Deb 03 December 2002 vol 395 cc685-7W
Mr. Elfyn Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average payment made to ex-miners in compensation for respiratory disease was in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001; and how many claims were settled in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001, in each constituency. [84314]

Mr. Wilson

The average payment made to ex-miners for respiratory disease as of 24 November 2002 is £6,421. It is not possible to give the average figure for 1999, 2000, and 2001 in the time available or to provide the number of claims settled in each year for each constituency. However, I would like to refer the hon. Member to the Department's coal health claims website which contains regularly updated breakdowns of statistics for coal health claims for each constituency and has a profile of payments made.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims by ex-miners for compensation for respiratory disease were settled using the fast-track procedure; and what the average payment was under the fast track procedure in(a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001. [84315]

Mr. Wilson

The figures are as follows.

Number of expedited payments Average value of expedited payment (£)
1999 806 5,739
2000 3,675 5,013
2001 6,574 4,564

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Ministers whose responsibilities have included the payment of miners compensation have been in post since 1997. [84316]

Mr. Wilson

Since 1997 there have been four energy Ministers whose responsibilities have included the payment of miners compensation: my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds West (Mr. Battle), my right hon. Friend the Member for Airdrie and Shotts (Mr. Liddell), my right hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Peter Hain) and myself.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many medical examination centres are operational for examining ex-miners who have lodged applications for compensation for respiratory disease; and how many there were in(a) 1999 and (b) 2000. [84317]

Mr. Wilson

As of 28 November 2002 there are 29 operational medical testing centres for examining ex-miners who have lodged applications for compensation for respiratory disease. Eight of these are operating at double capacity and one is operating as a triple centre. In addition to these medical testing centres there are two mobile testing units.

There were no testing centres opened at the end of 1999, as the medical contract with Healthcall was just signed at the end of October 1999. As of the end of 2000 there were 27 fully operational medical testing centres, two of which were double centres.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she last met representatives of the mining unions to discuss issues relating to the payment of miners' compensation claims. [84319]

Mr. Wilson

Representatives of mining unions are on the various ministerial monitoring groups which advise the Department on the compensation schemes. I last met the National Monitoring Group on 12 November and have meetings every 3 to 4 months. I regularly meet with union representatives in the open meetings I have been holding in mining areas.