§ The Minister for Employment Relations, Industry and the Regions (Alan Johnson)On 27 February 2003 I laid before Parliament a minute about proposals to undertake liability in respect of compensation on certain health claims in respect of periods of employment with particular companies when they belonged to British Shipbuilders. The claims relate to subsidiaries which were subsequently sold on, taking with them responsibility for employment liability, then became defunct. My Department is today announcing compensation arrangements whereby it will meet the cost of the portions of these claims which relate to the period of public ownership. Claims will be handled by Iron Trades Management Services (ITMS), who manage claims relating to Chester Street Insurance Holdings Limited, the now insolvent insurer of these claims, who will bill DTI for the portion of claims it is responsible for.:
The relevant companies are:
- Ayr Engineering Constructional Company Limited
- Brook Marine Limited
- Conoley & Company Limited
- Hall Russell Limited
- Blackwall Engineering Limited (formerly R&H Green & Silley Weir Limited)
- Howard Doris Structures Limited (formerly Sir James Laing & Sons Limited)
- Energy & Marine (Wearside) Limited (formerly Sunderland Forge Limited)
- SHSEGL Realisations Limited (formerly Swan Hunter Shipbuilders Limited)
- Northumbrian Engineering Limited (formerly Tyne Shiprepair Limited)
- Vosper Shiprepairers Limited
- Burnsmith Limited (formerly Wallsend Slipway & Engineering Limited)
Queries should be addressed to the following contacts:
- PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC—on behalf of ITMS): Lorna
- Siddall: 020 7213 4731
- British Shipbuilders: Mr Alexander Dowie of Eversheds
- (solicitors): 0191 241 6050.