§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the progress being made by the coal health claim with claims for compensation for(a) pneumoconiosis and (b) other non-smoking-related respiratory diseases. [64220]
§ Mr. WilsonClaims for pneumoconiosis are made under a British Coal scheme which commenced in 1974, for which the Department assumed responsibility in April 1998. Under the scheme nearly 87,000 claims have been received. The majority of claims have been settled by way of one-off payments. In some cases, where a claimant is in receipt of reduced earnings allowance and/or incapacity benefit from the DWP, claimants also receive a weekly loss of earnings payment.
With regards to other non-smoking-related respiratory diseases, such as asbestosis, these claims are handled on a claim by claim personal injury basis by the Department's claims handling agents, IRISC.