§ Mr. HepburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average length of time was for settlement of miners' compensation claims for respiratory diseases in(a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside and (c) the UK in each year since 1997 [149912]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe figures are in the following table:
Average time from receipt of claim to settlement (days) Year claim registered Jarrow South Tyneside UK 19971 2,109 1,953 1,823 19981 1,417 1,454 1,485 19991 1,151 1,163 1,125 2000 836 851 863 2001 634 641 621 2002 432 398 390 2003 -86(1) 136(1) 173 1Currently, the average length of time to settle a claim in Jarrow is 86 days. The table sets out the average time from 1997 to 2003.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average length of time was for settlement of miners' compensation claims for respiratory diseases in(a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley in each year since 1997. [151287]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe information is as follows:
647W
Average time from receipt of claim to settlement (days) Year claim registered Lancashire Chorley 19971 1,921 — 19981 1,448 1,504 19991 1,123 1,104 2000 902 983 2001 598 504 20022 387 505 20032 175 147 2004 5 — 1The Department was unable to process any claims until after the signing of the Claims Handling Agreement, agreed with the claimants' solicitors, on 24 September 1999. 2Estate claims put on hold as a lower priority, in agreement with claimants' solicitors.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many miners' compensation claims for respiratory diseases(a) have been made, (b) have been settled and (c) are outstanding in (i) Chorley an (ii) Lancashire. [151288]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe figures are as follows:
Chorley Year claim registered Claim receipts Total settlements including denied/withdrawn (as of 26 January 2004) Number outstanding 19971 — — — 19981 72 46 26 1999 47 32 15 2000 21 12 9 2001 26 10 16 20022 33 3 30 20032 309 5 304 2004 47 — 47 Total 555 108 447
Lancashire Year claim registered Claim receipts Total settlements including denied/withdrawn (as of 26 January 2004) Number outstanding 19971 14 7 7 19981 1,964 1,308 656 19991 960 581 379 2000 684 381 303 2001 959 400 559 20022 1,293 336 957 20032 7,627 145 7,482 2004 815 4 811 Total 14,316 3,162 11,154 1The Department was not able to process claims until after the signing of the Claims Handling Agreement, agreed with the claimants' solicitor on 24 September 1999. 2Estate claims put on hold as a lower priority, in agreement with the claimants solicitors. Notes:
1. Lancashire consists of the following constituencies: Blackburn; Bolton, North-East; Bolton, South-East; Bolton, West; Burnley; Bury, North; Bury, South; Rossendale and Darwen; Blackpool, North and Fleetwood; Blackpool, South; Hyndburn, Lancaster and Wyre; Morecambe and Lunesdale; Leigh; Makerfield; Worsley; Pendle; Preston; and Ribble Valley.
2. Constituency figures can be found on the DTI website: www.dti.gov.uk/coalhealth. The information is compiled in the middle of the month and shows the figures for the end of the previous month.
3. Claims are dealt with on a priority basis, those from the eldest and sickest living miners and their widows being dealt with first. Claims that are outstanding may be a lower priority or they may have an outstanding policy issue that is preventing settlement of the claim.