To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many compensation claims under the Claims Handling Agreement in which diagnosis occurred after the original medical assessment process report are still outstanding; and when he expects the backlog to be cleared. (94243)

The Claims Handling Agreement has no provision to deal with claimants who at the time of the Medical Assessment Process (MAP) do not have COPD but develop it at a later date. If a claimant wishes to claim for post-MAP development of COPD he is fully entitled to do so but will need to bring a separate claim under normal common law procedures.