[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.
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:
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
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
[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