§ Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether compensation payments to be made for eligible estate claims for former miners for(a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger are being processed. [146112]
§ Nigel GriffithsWith regard to respiratory disease, the Department's priority is to settle claims from the eldest and sickest living miners and their widows. Estate claims are a lower priority and are being processed in accordance with the prioritisation process, agreed with the claimants' solicitors. They are processed when there are no higher priority claims to assess.
On vibration white finger (VWF) claims, where IRISC have received the necessary medical report and confirmation of the claimant's employment history, families of deceased miners are having their claims processed along with those from living miners.
§ Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when she expects the last compensation payments to be made for eligible estate claims for former miners for(a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger; [146113]
(2) when she expects the last compensation payments to be made to (a) former miners and (b) widows of former miners for (i) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (ii) vibration white finger. [146117]
§ Nigel GriffithsIt is very difficult to give such estimates for either scheme.
The Vibration White Finger (VWF) scheme has closed but claims can only be processed when all relevant documentation has been received from claimants. Estates claims are being processed alongside live claims where supporting documentation is available, we expect that the greater part of general damages claims will be made offers by the end of 2005. Compensation for services will extend beyond that.
The respiratory disease scheme is still open until 31 March 2004 and claims are currently coming in around 8,000 a week, of which around 5,000 are deceased claims (both widows and estates claims). The speed of processing claims will depend, among other things, on how quickly documentation is received from claimants after initial registration. Claims are processed in priority order, as agreed with miners' solicitors and estate claims come behind live individual claims.
§ Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the number of claims for(a) vibration white finger and (b) respiratory disease for (i) former miners, (ii) widows of former miners and (iii) other eligible estate claims for former miners in (A) the UK, (B) England, (C) Scotland and (D) Wales. [146114]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe Vibration White Finger (VWF) scheme is now closed.
845WThe figures for VWF are:
Live claims received (scheme closed
31 October 2002)
Widows/estate claims received
(scheme closed
31 January 2003)
UK 150,183 19,361 England 122,236 14,899 Scotland 9,625 1,857 Wales 18,322 2,605 The respiratory disease scheme closes at the end of March 2004. It is difficult to make estimates of final numbers as claims are currently coming in at around 8,000 per week. Some 5,000 of which are deceased claims.
As of 21 December 2003 the figures for respiratory disease are:
Live claims as of 21 December 2003
Widows/estate claims as of
21 December 2003
UK 179,775 200,033 England 139,008 119,248 Scotland 13,679 15,351 Wales 27,088 38,781 Figures are not separately available for estate claims received. The Department's claim handlers. IRISC, register claims from both widows and estates as deceased.
§ Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many chronic obstructive pulmonary disease compensation claims have been registered, broken down by coalfield area; how many live claimants there are; and how many(a) widows and (b) estates are claiming. [146115]
§ Nigel GriffithsAs of 21 December 2003 the figures are:
COPD England Scotland Wales Live claims 139,008 12,489 26,699 Deceased claims (widow/estate) 145,911 14,556 38,156 Regional statistics by coalfield area can be found on the Department's website—www.dti.gov.uk/coalhealth. The registration figures for deceased cases are not split between widows and estates.