This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Biggest ever health compensation for Scottish ex-miners agreed
23/06/1999
Scottish Secretary John Reid welcomed today's announcement on a comprehensive compensation package for Scottish ex-miners with respiratory diseases. Up to 5,500 Scottish ex-miners should benefit from payments of up to £50,000 following agreement between the Government and the National Union for Mineworkers (Scotland).
Mr Reid said :
"Our aim has been to make sure Scottish miners receive fair compensation and I am delighted that an agreement has been reached so quickly. Work can now go ahead on a programme of spirometry (lung function) testing which will enable interim payments to be made as soon as possible.
"The first Scottish testing centre is already open in Glasgow and further centres will open shortly in other coal mining areas. Full medical assessments of claimants will follow. My DTI colleagues and the NUM and its legal representatives have worked hard to reach agreement quickly and I pay tribute to their work."
Negotiations between the Department of Trade and Industry and NUM (Scotland) solicitors began at the end of March this year following an earlier High Court ruling in England against British Coal. This ruling, under English law, established clear liability against British Coal for lung diseases developed by ex-miners as a result of exposure to coal dust and nitrous fumes. The Government inherited British Coal's health liabilities following privatisation and made it clear that Scottish miners would receive compensation similar to that received in England and Wales.
BACKGROUND
1. The British Coal Respiratory Disease Litigation is the largest ever personal injury action in the UK. Over 65,000 compensation claims have been made since 1991, nearly 6,000 of which are from Scottish ex-miners. The High Court judgement in 1998 embraced respiratory conditions including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
2. Following the ruling, made under English law, the Government made clear that compensation would also be extended to Scottish miners.
3. Claimants will be invited to undergo an agreed medical assessment procedure and will receive compensation based on a formula. This will take into account their loss of lung function, resulting disability, working history and related factors such as smoking and other medical conditions. Payments will range from £2,000 to a maximum of £50,000. One major factor affecting the level of payments will involve reductions for heavy smokers.
News Release: 1304/99
23 June 1999