§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, under what circumstances would someone get compensation under the Claims Handling Agreement for illness contracted from mining work. [81038]
§ Mr. WilsonThe Department has two Claims Handling Agreements (CHA's which cover illnesses contracted from mining work. One covers Respiratory Disease and the other covers Vibration White Finger (VWF). The Agreements set out in detail the circumstances in which miners or their families are eligible for compensation.
In order for a claimants to pursue a claim for Respiratory disease the miner needs to have worked after 4 June 1954 for mines in England and Wales, and after 4 June 1949 for mines in Scotland, as well as show signs of respiratory illness as covered by the CHA. In order to pursue a claim for Vibration White Finger the miner must have worked in mines after 1 January 1975 and show signs of Vibration White Finger. Any compensation which claimants then receive for either type of illness would be dependent upon results of a Medical Assessment, the years spent working in the mine, the type of work undertaken, other factors that may influence a claimant's ill health, as well as other factors stipulated under the agreements.