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Coalminers (Compensation)
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was paid by the Government from January to December 2001 in Wrexham for respiratory disease, pursuant to the miners' compensation scheme for (a) damages to claimants and (b) legal costs for claimants' lawyers. [33530]
Mr. Wilson: As at the end of January 2002 the Department has paid nearly £252 million in respiratory disease compensation. In the Wrexham constituency, as at the end of December, £744,000 had been paid. A breakdown for the period January to December 2001 is not available in the time requested, as constituency figures have been available only since the end of October 2001.
With regard to legal costs, the Department has paid £45 million to solicitors in relation to processing claims for respiratory disease. A breakdown for Wrexham and for the period January to December 2001 is not available in the time requested.
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been paid to date to each firm of solicitors involved in the compensation claims for (a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger of former coalminers. [33667]
Mr. Wilson: In total there are some 300-plus firms of solicitors currently processing claims under either/or both schemes. The Department is not able to provide a breakdown by every firm of solicitors in the time available. However, detailed in the table are breakdowns of the costs paid (excluding generic trial costs) to the top 10 claims handlers under both schemes.
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| Claims handler in order based on total claims intimated | Costs paid (excluding generic trial costs) |
|---|---|
| Thompsons | 9.8 |
| Hugh James Ford Simey | 6.9 |
| Union of Democratic Mineworkers | 2.8 |
| Raleys | 4.2 |
| Mark Gilbert Morse | 0.5 |
| Browell Smith & Co. | 3.1 |
| Graysons | 2.1 |
| Watson Burton | 1.4 |
| Irwin Mitchell | 2.0 |
| Randell Saunders | 0.4 |
| Claims handler in order based on total claims intimated | Costs paid (excluding generic trial costs) |
|---|---|
| Thompsons | 5.7 |
| Browell Smith & Co. | 4.0 |
| Union of Democratic Mineworkers | 3.6 |
| Raleys | 3.0 |
| Hugh James Ford Simey | 3.0 |
| Graysons | 2.0 |
| Moss | 1.4 |
| Watson Burton | 1.9 |
| AMS Law | 1.0 |
| Towells | 1.3 |
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been paid out to former coalminers to date, in each region, as compensation for (a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger; and if she will make a statement. [33661]
Mr. Wilson: I refer my hon. Friend to the Department's Coal Health Claims website—www.dti.gov.uk/coalhealth—where a breakdown of headline statistics by region, and by constituency can be found.
Since the beginning of November last year we have seen a significant increase in the numbers of full and final offers being made for respiratory disease claims. We have now paid out nearly £710 million in compensation across both schemes.
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much to date has been paid to lawyers who are handling claims for former coalminers under the (a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger compensation claims for unsuccessful cases. [33668]
Mr. Wilson: The Department does not pay solicitors costs in relation to unsuccessful claims, apart from a small customer care fee for claims registered prior to the signing of the Claims Handling Agreement on 24 September 1999.
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how long on average it took to process a claim for compensation on behalf of coalminers suffering from (a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger, by region, in the last 12 months. [33669]
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Mr. Wilson: In the time available the Department is not able to provide a breakdown of average processing times by region over the last 12 months.
However, in respect of respiratory disease, the average time nationally between medical assessment and date of offer in the last six months is five months and 14 days. With regard to vibration white finger, VWF, the average duration between medical assessment and date of offer in the last six months is six months and five days.
Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the average length of time taken to process a claim for compensation on behalf of coalminers suffering from (a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger, by each firm of solicitors, in the last 12 months. [33662]
Mr. Wilson: A breakdown of time taken by solicitors to process claims is not available in the time requested.
Employment Tribunals
Mr. Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the cost to small businesses of employment tribunals in the last calendar year. [33703]
Nigel Griffiths: We have not made such an assessment.
Post Offices
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the future of rural post offices. [34007]
Mr. Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath) on 29 November 2001, Official Report, column 1039W.
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many grants have been made under the rural post office scheme, broken down by county; and what the total sum paid out to date is. [33615]
Mr. Alexander: The Government have made available a £2 million fund to support volunteer and community initiatives to maintain or reopen post office facilities in rural areas where traditional services would otherwise close. To date, 139 application forms have been despatched and funding has been allocated to seven initiatives as follows:
| Amount | Area |
|---|---|
| £13,200 | to Capel-le-Ferne, Kent |
| £1,669 | to Goadby Marwood, Leicestershire |
| £208 | to Risbury, Herefordshire |
| £10,200 | to Kirk Ireton, Derbyshire |
| £3,862 | to Coleby, Lincolnshire |
| £4,000 | to Henlow, Bedfordshire |
| £16,730 | to Buriton, Hampshire |
£ 24,928 has been paid out for schemes at Capel Le Ferne, Risbury and Buriton. Further payments will be made following verification of invoices by Post Office Ltd.
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Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications have been made for assistance under the rural post office scheme, broken down by county. [33614]
Mr. Alexander: 29 completed applications out of the 139 forms requested to date have been received by Post Office Ltd. for the £2 million fund made available by Government to support volunteer and community initiatives to maintain or reopen post office facilities in rural areas. They are as follows:
- Capel Le Ferne, Kent
Holcombe, Devon
Buriton, Sussex
Risbury, Herefordshire
Kirk Ireton, Derbyshire
Struan, Highland
Goadby Marwood, Leicestershire
Coleby, Lincolnshire
South Warnborough, Hampshire
Deri, Caerphilly
Tavernspite, Pembrokeshire
Henstridge, Somerset
Wanborough, Wiltshire
Ringmer, Sussex
Almondbank, Perth and Kinross
Acton Trussell, Staffordshire
Henlow, Bedfordshire
Bernisdale, Higland
Winteringham, Lincolnshire
Milford, Staffordshire
Lubenham, Leicestershire
Dawlish Warren, Devon
Tortington, Sussex.
Laxay, Western Isles
Folkingham, Lincolnshire.
Bewcastle, Cumbria
Ollaberry, Shetland Islands
Standon, Staffordshire
Bowden, Borders.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the annual pre tax profits of the Post Office were in each year from 1980 to date; and how much was made over to the Treasury in each year. [34278]
Mr. Alexander: I refer my hon. Friend to the published reports and accounts of the Post Office for the figures from 1998 onwards, and to the Trade and Industry Committee Third report on the Post Office (97–98 session) for the figures from 1982 to 1997.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received on the future of the Post Office network. [34009]
Mr. Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry receives representation from numerous sources. The Government are committed to the maintenance of a nationwide network of post offices.
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