To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many claims for compensation were submitted to the French authorities after 1 January 1995 in respect of lorry blockades; and how many have been (a) paid in full, (b) paid in part and (c) not paid. [129259]

Following the lengthy disruption in France in November 1996, the Department offered hauliers assistance in submitting compensation claims to the relevant French authorities. Some 1,200 claims were handled in this way. All claims arising from these lorry blockades have been processed by the French authorities, and payment agreed in the case of all claims eligible under French law. The French authorities dealt directly with the cases and claimants were under no obligation to inform the Department of the outcome of their cases. We are, therefore, unable to provide information about amounts of compensation paid or refused.