Questions
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total amount of costs paid in the British Coal respiratory disease litigation to the following firms of solicitors representing the claimants: (a) Raleys, (b) Beresfords, (c) Thompsons, (d) Wake Smith, (e) Ashton Morton Slack, (f) Moss, and (g) Avalon. [HL1133]
The total amount paid to those firms representing claimants, as listed above, under the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is shown in the table below as at 22 February 2009.
Claimants' Representatives Total Costs (£ m) Raleys Solicitors 78.4 Beresfords Solicitors 130.9 Thompsons 120.4 Wake Smith 8.6 Ashton Morton Slack LLP 13.3 Moss Solicitors 12.6 Avalon Solicitors 40.4
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total amount of costs paid in the British Coal vibration white finger litigation to the following firms of solicitors representing the claimants: (a) Raleys, (b) Beresfords, (c) Thompsons, (d) Wake Smith, (e) Ashton Morton Slack, (f) Moss, and (g) Avalon. [HL1134]
The total amount paid to those firms representing claimants, as listed above, under the vibration white finger scheme is shown in the table below as at 22 February 2009.
Claimants' Representatives Total Costs (£ m) Raleys Solicitors 14.8 Beresfords Solicitors 7.9 Thompsons Solicitors 31.4 Wake Smith 0.3 Ashton Morton Slack LLP 2.9 Moss Solicitors 5.6 Avalon Solicitors 0.1
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to conduct an audit of solicitors' costs in the British Coal respiratory disease litigation and British Coal vibration white finger litigation, in the light of the recent decision of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal to strike from the roll of solicitors two former senior partners of Beresfords solicitors LLP. [HL1136]
The department is not planning any such audit for claimants' solicitors' costs under the coal health compensation schemes. Costs for handling claims under the schemes are paid in accordance with the claims handling agreements but the department is not privy to any further arrangement between claimants and their representatives.
However, the department has welcomed the report by the National Audit Office published in July 2007 and the subsequent Public Accounts Committee report examining the coal health compensation schemes. These are available to view at www.nao.org.uk/publications/0607/coal_health_compensation.aspx and www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmpubacc/350/350.pdf.
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal hearing referred to misconduct between the solicitors and their clients which is a separate issue.
As the legal profession is independent and self-regulating, complaints about solicitor misconduct are a matter for the Legal Complaints Service and Solicitors Regulatory Authority, rather than the Government. However, both DECC and the Ministry of Justice continue to support the Legal Complaints Service in its programme to highlight the issue of deductions from coal health compensation which to date has secured in excess of £3.6 million in refunds to claimants.
Both DECC and the Ministry of Justice have welcomed the recent report by the legal services complaints commissioner on the handling of coal health compensation claims. The report highlighted that overall the LCS had improved the way it handled miners' complaints between February 2008 and 30 June 2008 and had taken note of the 11 issues raised in the LSCC's earlier report of January 2008.
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much in total was paid in costs to the claimants' solicitors in the British Coal respiratory disease litigation. [HL1137]
The total costs for claimants' solicitors’ handling claims under the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease scheme are £1 billion (includes Solicitors Co-ordinating Group, UDM and Vendside Ltd) as at 31 January 2009.
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much in total was paid in costs to the claimants' solicitors in the British Coal vibration white finger litigation. [HL1138]
The total costs for claimants' solicitors’ handling claims under the vibration white finger scheme are £187 million (includes Solicitors Co-ordinating Group, UDM and Vendside Ltd) as at 31 January 2009.
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the amount of costs paid to Beresfords Solicitors LLP in (a) the British Coal respiratory disease litigation; (b) the British Coal vibration white finger litigation; and (c) the British Coal industrial deafness litigation. [HL1488]
The amount paid to Beresfords Solicitors for handling claims for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), vibration white finger (VWF) and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is shown in the table below as at 8 February 2009.
Type of Claim Total Beresfords Solicitors Costs (£ m) COPD 130.5 VWF 7.91 NIHL 3.01
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the number of claimants in the British Coal respiratory disease litigation awarded compensation of £3,000 or less, broken down between payments of (a) 1p to 50p; (b) 51p to £1, (c) £1.01 to £2; (d) £2.01 to £3; (e) £3.01 to £4; (f) £4.01 to £5; (g) £5.01 to £6; (h) £6.01 to £7; (i) £7.01 to £8; (j) 8.01 to £9; (k) £9.01 to £10; (l) £10.01 to £15; (m) £15.01 to £20; (n) £20.01 to £30; (o) £30.01 to £50; (p) £50.01 to £75; (q) £75.01 to £100; (r) £100.01 to £200; (s) £200.01 to £300; (t) £300.01 to £400; (u) £400.01 to £500; (v) £500.01 to £750; (w) £750.01 to £1,000; (x) £1,000.01 to £1,500; (y) £1,500.01 to £2,000; (z) £2,000 to £3,000; and what is the average sum of costs paid to claimants' solicitors for undertaking each scheme case. [HL1512]
The number of claimants under the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease scheme (COPD) who were awarded compensation of £3,000 or less, broken down by payments as requested above, is shown in the table below as at 8 February 2009.
The average costs paid to the claimants' representatives in COPD claims is £2,242.
Total Damages COPD lp to 50p 2 51p to £1 23 £1.01 to £2 48 £2.01 to £3 52 £3.01 to £4 61 £4.01 to £5 68 £5.01 to £6 63 £6.01 to £7 65 £7.01 to £8 73 £8.01 to £9 64 £9.01 to £10 79 £10.01 to £15 369 £15.01 to £20 404 £20.01 to £30 919 £30.01 to £50 1,854 £50.01 to £75 2,292 £75.01 to £100 2,173 £100.01 to £200 8,770 £200.01 to £300 8,972 £300.01 to £400 9,259 £400.01 to £500 9,094 £500.01 to £750 20,728 £750.01 to £1,000 17,847 £1,000.01 to £1,500 148,098 £1,500.01 to £2,000 45,055 £2,000.01 to £3,000 33,127
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government to ask Her Majesty's Government what is the number of claimants in the British Coal vibration white finger litigation awarded compensation of £3,000 or less, broken down between payments of (a) 1p to 50p; (b) 51p to £1, (c) £1.01 to £2; (d) £2.01 to £3; (e) £3.01 to £4; (f) £4.01 to £5; (g) £5.01 to £6; (h) £6.01 to £7; (i) £7.01 to £8; (j) 8.01 to £9; (k) £9.01 to £10; (l) £10.01 to £15; (m) £15.01 to £20; (n) £20.01 to £30; (o) £30.01 to £50; (p) £50.01 to £75; (q) £75.01 to £100; (r) £100.01 to £200; (s) £200.01 to £300; (t) £300.01 to £400; (u) £400.01 to £500; (v) £500.01 to £750; (w) £750.01 to £1,000; (x) £1,000.01 to £1,500; (y) £1,500.01 to £2,000; (z) £2,000 to £3,000; and what is the average sum of costs paid to claimants' solicitors for undertaking each scheme case. [HL1513]
The number of claimants under the vibration white finger scheme (VWF) who were awarded compensation of £3,000 or less, broken down by payments as requested above, is shown in the table below as at 8 February 2009.
The average costs paid to the claimants' representatives for VWF claims is £1,402.
Total Damages VWF lp to 50p 0 51p to £1 0 £1.01 to £2 0 £2.01 to £3 0 £3.01 to £4 0 £4.01 to £5 0 £5.01 to £6 0 £6.01 to £7 0 £7.01 to £8 0 £8.01 to £9 0 £9.01 to £10 0 £10.01 to £15 0 £15.01 to £20 0 £20.01 to £30 0 £30.01 to £50 0 £50.01 to £75 1 £75.01 to £100 5 £100.01 to £200 27 £200.01 to £300 56 £300.01 to £400 191 £400.01 to £500 199 £500.01 to £750 3,231 £750.01 to £1,000 280 £1,000.01 to £1,500 1,425 £1,500.01 to £2,000 903 £2,000.01 to £3,000 5,881
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average sum in compensation awarded in the British Coal respiratory disease litigation to claimants represented by (a) Beresfords Solicitors LLP; (b) Wake Smith; (c) Ashton Morton Slack LLP; (d) Moss Solicitors LLP; (e) Corries York; (f) Browell Smith; (g) Mark Gilbert Morse; (h) Avalon Solicitors; (i) BRM Solicitors; (j) Atteys; (k) Simpson Millar; (l) Oxley & Coward; (m) The Union of Democratic Mineworkers and its claims company, Vendside Limited; (n) Gorman Hamilton; (o) Delta Legal; (p) TLW Solicitors; and (q) Barber & Co. [HL1514]
The average compensation payment made under the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) scheme to claimants represented as listed above is shown in the table below as at 8 February 2009.
Claimants' Representatives COPD (£) Beresfords Solicitors 2,531 Wake Smith 2,784 Ashton Morton Slack LLP 3,080 Moss Solicitors 4,083 Corries York 2,371 Browell Smith & Co 6,414 Mark Gilbert Morse 7,468 Avalon Solicitors 2,332 BRM Solicitors 2,665 Atteys 5,058 Simpson Millar Solicitors 4,895 Oxley & Coward Solicitors 4,544 Union of Democratic Mineworkers 3,161 Gorman Hamilton Solicitors 3,119 Delta Legal 2,249 TLW Solicitors 3,217 Barber & Co 2,785
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average sum in compensation awarded in the British Coal vibration white finger litigation to claimants represented by (a) Beresfords Solicitors LLP; (b) Wake Smith; (c) Ashton Morton Slack LLP; (d) Moss Solicitors LLP; (e) Corries York; (f) Browell Smith; (g) Mark Gilbert Morse; (h) Avalon Solicitors; (i) BRM Solicitors; (j) Atteys; (k) Simpson Millar; (l) Oxley & Coward; (m) The Union of Democratic Mineworkers and its claims company, Vendside Limited; (n) Gorman Hamilton; (o) Delta Legal; (p) TLW Solicitors; and (q) Barber & Co. [HL1515]
The average compensation payment made under the vibration white finger (VWF) scheme to claimants represented as listed above is shown in the table below as at 8 February 2009.
Claimants' Representatives VWF (£) Beresfords Solicitors 10,387 Wake Smith 10,758 Ashton Morton Slack LLP 9,344 Moss Solicitors 10,487 Corries York 11,897 Browell Smith & Co 10,818 Mark Gilbert Morse 6,199 Avalon Solicitors 6,197 BRM Solicitors 16,562 Atteys 14,510 Simpson Millar Solicitors 9,598 Oxley & Coward Solicitors 12,830 Union of Democratic Mineworkers 10,606 Gorman Hamilton Solicitors 16,576 Delta Legal - TLW Solicitors 9,981 Barber & Co -
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total amount of deductions made from compensation awarded to claimants in the British Coal respiratory disease litigation and paid over to the National Union of Mineworkers by (a) Thompsons Solicitors; (b) Raleys Solicitors; and (c) Graysons Solicitors. [HL1516]
We do not have the information regarding deductions made from compensation as the department is not party to any agreement between claimants and their representatives.
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total amount of deductions made from compensation awarded to claimants in the British Coal vibration white finger litigation and paid over to the National Union of Mineworkers by (a) Thompsons Solicitors; (b) Raleys Solicitors; and (c) Graysons Solicitors. [HL1517]
We do not have the information regarding deductions made from compensation as the department is not party to any agreement between claimants and their representatives.