§ Jeff EnnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the 10 firms of solicitors who have received the most in fees for dealing with miners' compensation claims; and how much each has received. [146657]
§ Nigel GriffithsAs of 7 January 2004 the figures are:
£ million Top 10 solicitors Total solicitors costs Hugh James Ford Simey 35.8 Thompsons Solicitors 34.6 Raleys Solicitors 23.7 Browell Smith and Co 13.6 Mark Gilbert Morse 10.3 Graysons Solicitors 8.7 Union of Democratic Mineworkers 8.0 Watson Burton Solicitors 7.6 Towells Solicitors 7.6 Beresfords Solicitors 6.3
§ Adam PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what amounts were paid to(a) firms of solicitors and (b) the Union of Democratic Mineworkers for cases undertaken under the miners' compensation schemes in 2003. [148286]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe figures are as follows:
£ million COPD VWF Solicitors cost 119.6 18.0 UDM 3.9 0.9 Total 123.5 18.9
§ Adam PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which trade unions have applied to pursue claims directly under the miners' compensation schemes; and what the reasons were for(a) granting and (b) rejecting such an application in each case. [148310]
§ Nigel Griffiths[holding answer 15 January 2004]: The Department has signed agreements with those bodies appointed by or on behalf of claimants to act for them. In May 1998, my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) the then Minister for Energy, invited the mining unions to contribute to these arrangements through their solicitors.
1174WThe UDM were themselves dealing with claims and a Claims Handling Agreement was signed with them. The compensation terms were identical to the agreement with the miners' solicitors.
The NUM inquired about having a direct agreement. This was not pursued beyond initial discussions.
§ Mr. ClaphamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many firms of solicitors are handling coal health claims in(a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland; and how many are involved with the Claimants Solicitors Group. [147201]
§ Nigel GriffithsTo date the figures are:
CSG solicitors Non-CSG solicitors Total number England 353 200 553 Scotland 24 41 65 Wales 56 40 96 Total 433 281 714
§ Mr. ClaphamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many training days the insurers handling the coal health claims have held for solicitors to date; and how many firms have attended. [147202]
§ Nigel GriffithsAs of 13 January the figures are:
Training Number of days Number of firms attending Planning days 2 32 Regional workshops 5 69 Solicitors training day, Sheffield Office 2 41 Solicitors Training Day, Edinburgh Office 1 8 Solicitors Training Day, Cardiff Office 1 6 Informal in house operational training 17 10
§ Mr. ClaphamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money has been paid to date by the Department to(a) the insurers handling the coal health claims and (b) the company carrying out the medical assessments. [147204]
§ Nigel GriffithsAs of mid January 2004 nearly £158 million has been paid to IRISC, the Department's claim handlers and nearly £212 million to the companies who provide the medical assessments.