COLLIERY SURFACE WORKERS CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE SCHEME

Early day motion 1648, tabled 14 February 2006 by Michael Clapham (Labour). Signed by 76 members.

That this House notes that the Department of Trade and Industry laid a minute before Parliament on 10th July 2000 accepting liability for surface workers who worked in dusty jobs; welcomes the fact that 84,000 mixed cases have been settled, but points out that many were exposed to more dust on the surface; considers it unjust that a surface worker with underground service who contracts the disease from a dusty surface job receives compensation but a man with surface-only service does not; is aware that on two occasions, in the debate on 7th February 2006, the Minister of Energy stated that the Department of Trade and Industry did not deny liability in all such cases; is concerned that many firms of solicitors have received hundreds of denial letters for such claims; and calls on the Minister to end this injustice by negotiating with the mining unions a no-fault liability scheme for surface workers.

Signatures by party: Labour 61, Liberal Democrat 7, Conservative 3, DUP 2, Respect 1, Scottish National Party 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.