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Coal Health Compensation Scheme

Volume 494: debated on Thursday 25 June 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the net present value of the Coal Health Compensation Scheme is; and if he will make a statement. (267760)

There are two Coal Health Compensation Schemes. The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Scheme (COPD) and the Vibration White Finger Scheme (VWF). The Department received over 760,000 claims in total.

The total amount paid in compensation to former miners and their families is £4 billion as at May 2009.

This breaks down to £2.3 billion paid in compensation under the COPD Scheme and £1.7 billion under VWF Scheme.

These values are actual compensation costs paid. The net present value is an accounting term which was not used to calculate the coal health compensation.