SHUTTLE TEST FOR EX-MINERS

Early day motion 1588, tabled 22 July 1998 by Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru). Signed by 16 members.

That this House utterly condemns the Government's decision to subject elderly miners suffering from crippling chest disease to a shuttle test in order to determine the level of compensation they will receive, following NACODS historic high court victory earlier this year; further notes that the shuttle test, whereby ex-miners will be given a lung function test before having to walk around two cones placed nine and a half metres apart, in which they are asked to speed up their walking in time to a bleeping sound that gets faster and faster until they are too exhausted to carry on, prior to a further LFT, is not only distressing to elderly men, many suffering from arthritis and rheumatism, but in some circumstances dangerous and even fatal; and requests the Government to adopt a humane test, supervised by NHS consultants to determine the level of compensation payable to ex-miners.

Signatures by party: Labour 13, Scottish National Party 2, Plaid Cymru 1.