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Industrial Diseases: Compensation

Volume 481: debated on Monday 27 October 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many former miners’ compensation claims cases are awaiting responses in Scotland, broken down by constituency. (226592)

[holding answer 13 October 2008]: In Scotland, there are 1,037 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) claims that have not had a first time offer or denial and 953 COPD claims where offers have been made to which a response is awaited.

For vibration white finger (VWF), only 50 claims in the UK in total have not had a first time offer or denial and 216 VWF claims where offers have been made to which a response is awaited.

We are unable to break these figures down any further.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average settlement has been for (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and (b) vibration white finger claims submitted by the 10 solicitors’ firms which have submitted the greatest number of claims under the Coal Miners’ Compensation Scheme. (226639)

The average settlement for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and vibration white finger (VWF) by the 10 claimants’ representatives who have submitted the greatest number of claims is shown in the following tables as at 5 October 2008:

COPD

Claimants’ representative

Total claims

Total claims settled by payment

Average damages paid on claims settled by payment (£)

Beresfords Solicitors

80,820

60,322

2,508

Thompsons Solicitors

58,129

44,731

9,173

Hugh James

56,810

41,080

7,231

Raleys Solicitors

48,903

34,698

5,947

Browell Smith and Co.

32,986

24,193

6,431

Avalon Solicitors

32,414

18,917

2,263

Mark Gilbert Morse

25,725

20,109

7,412

Union of Democratic Mineworkers

16,588

13,712

3,105

Barber and Co.

14,089

11,224

2,759

Watson Burton LLP

14,072

12,350

4,358

VWF

Claimants representative

Total claims

Total claims settled by payment

Average damages paid on claims settled by payment (£)

Thompsons Solicitors

21,228

16,820

16,341

Browell Smith and Co.

16,463

11,875

10,780

Beresfords Solicitors

11,619

7,236

10,381

Union of Democratic Mineworkers

11,521

9,931

10,593

Raleys Solicitors

11,279

9,868

12,273

Hugh James

10,637

8,513

11,275

Graysons Solicitors

8,700

7,153

15,520

Moss Solicitors

7,398

5,016

10,476

Watson Burton LLP

5,935

5,020

17,047

Towells Solicitors

5,367

4,193

12,416

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much was claimed under the Coal Miners’ Compensation Scheme by (a) former miners and (b) former miners’ families in Scotland in each of the last three years. (226763)

[holding answer 14 October 2008]: The following table lists compensation paid to former miners and their families under the Coal Miners’ Compensation Schemes in Scotland in each of the last three years. For completeness we have also provided similar data on 2008 to date and the period prior to 2005.

£

Paid to miners

Paid to miners’ families

Total

COPD claims as at 12 October 2008

2005 (pre)

38,296,226

75,257,346

113,553,572

2005

17,339,241

31,820,711

49,159,952

2006

5,697,733

29,554,138

35,251,871

2007

1,266,660

16,436,719

17,703,379

2008 (to date)

520,961

7,474,888

7,995,849

Total

63,120,821

160,543,802

223,664,623

VWF claims as at 12 October 2008

2005 (pre)

65,270,543

6,751,087

72,021,629

2005

11,443,169

2,420,652

13,863,820

2006

10,430,048

3,775,891

14,205,939

2007

15,289,086

1,798,400

17,087,486

2008 (to date)

12,404,982

868,395

13,273,376

Total

114,837,827

15,614,424

130,452,251