CHALLENGE TO MoD IMMUNITY FROM EX SERVICE PERSONNEL CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION

Early day motion 719, tabled 23 January 2002 by Mike Hancock (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 59 members.

That this House applauds the decision by Mr Justice Keith to back the claim by Alan Matthews, who has developed an asbestos-related disease whilst working as an electrical engineer with the Royal Navy, in the 1950s and 1960s, that the MoD's immunity under the Crown Proceedings Act 1987 from claims for compensation by those ex service personnel who contracted asbestos-related diseases and other diseases before 1987 was a contravention of the Human Rights Act and therefore these cases should be heard; recognises the injustice done to such service personnel through the years of being denied compensation; believes it to be a long overdue decision; and calls for the Government not to attempt to appeal this decision, and instead to act swiftly to set up a system of compensation for those service personnel who suffer from asbestos-related and other diseases but have been denied compensation due to contracting the disease before 1987, thus fulfilling its moral obligation to those who have served the Country and suffer such agonising diseases as a result.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 28, Labour 25, Conservative 2, Labour/Co-operative 2, Plaid Cymru 2.