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12 Nov 2009 : Column 670W—continued

NIHL data as at 31 October 2009
Number
	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Midlands	0	24	171	300	259	178	222	292	132	38	20	45
North East	0	32	256	609	445	293	295	459	181	52	24	23
Notts, Derbys and Leics	0	138	1,900	4,473	2,683	1,212	1,223	1,293	637	49	7	17
Other	0	152	568	417	133	62	55	58	26	6	1	-
Scotland	0	13	109	219	250	304	190	395	153	77	19	2
South/South East	0	8	51	110	98	77	59	100	48	11	6	-
Wales	0	19	159	298	284	244	184	340	165	96	43	48
Yorkshire	0	100	866	2,054	1,323	1,051	985	1,107	440	131	48	62

Other data as at 31 October 2009
Number
	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Midlands	10	6	1	7	4	7	5	4	11	5	4	4
North East	13	5	2	4	6	6	5	6	16	1	2	4
Notts, Derbys and Leics	15	2	1	-	2	4	2	4	6	4	-	4
Other	31	13	18	12	5	11	3	3	24	-	3	3
Scotland	4	-	-	-	-	1	4	1	7	1	1	4
South/South East	-	1	-	1	2	-	4	-	6	-	1	0
Wales	4	6	2	3	2	2	6	3	8	1	3	1
Yorkshire	13	7	63	36	17	22	9	15	21	9	4	9

Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what penalties his Department has imposed on Capita Group plc for its performance in administering the miners' compensation schemes. [299791]

Mr. Kidney: The Department's contract with Capita includes a Service Level Agreement (SLA) linking some payments to the achievement of key performance targets across a range of operational areas. Capita have performed well throughout the life of the contract, but have not always earned 100 per cent. of the available SLA payments.

Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has levied in fines on Capita Group plc in respect of its performance in administering the miners' compensation schemes. [299792]

Mr. Kidney: None. The Department's contract with Capita includes a service level agreement linking some payments to the achievement of key performance targets across a range of operational areas.

Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will publish all the correspondence between his Department and Capita Group plc dealing with (a) claimants' complaints and (b) hon. Members' complaints on the operation of the miners' compensation schemes. [299793]

Mr. Kidney: In considering such requests the Department has to consider our obligations to maintain claimant confidentiality and our responsibility under the Data Protection Act. On that basis I am not able to agree to publish the correspondence referred to. If my right hon. Friend wishes to raise any individual constituency case with me in writing, I am of course, happy to investigate specific concerns.

Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what meetings (a) he and (b) officials of his Department have had with Capita Group plc to discuss the administration of the miners' compensation schemes since the introduction of these schemes. [299794]

12 Nov 2009 : Column 671W

Mr. Kidney: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not met with representatives of Capita plc to discuss the administration of the miners' compensation schemes. However, officials meet with Capita regularly as part of their ongoing contract management responsibilities and to review progress with completion of the coal health compensation schemes and other operational matters.

Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the efficiency of Capita Group plc in its administration of the two miners' compensation schemes. [299795]

Mr. Kidney: Capita's performance is continually under review by the Department against its contractual obligations which Capita met to date. Capita's performance is also subject to audit focussing on performance against the service level agreement, costs and the implementation and progress of key elements of the claims handling process.

Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has paid to Capita Group plc for the administration of the two miners' compensation schemes (a) in each year in which the schemes operated and (b) in each year since the schemes closed. [299796]

Mr. Kidney: Capita took over the administration of the coal health compensation schemes in 2004, when the claim handling operations were sold by AON, who had previously managed the schemes on behalf of the Department.

The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease scheme was closed to new application in March 2004 and vibration white finger scheme closed to application in October 2002 for live claims and January 2003 for deceased claims.

From 1 April 2004 to 31 October 2009, the Department has paid Capita Business Services c.£418 million for the administration of the coal health compensation schemes.

Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many complaints his Department has received from (a) claimants and (b) hon. Members on Capita Group plc and its administration of the two miners' compensation schemes. [299797]

Mr. Kidney: The Information requested relating specifically to complaints is not available from the Department's records. In the context of the delivery of the coal health compensation schemes the Department receives correspondence from MPs, claimants and other interested parties relating to a range of operational matters. To date, the majority of that correspondence relates to procedural and entitlement issues.

Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what criteria his Department used when awarding contracts for administering the two miners' compensation schemes to Capital Group plc. [299798]

Mr. Kidney: The Department used the following broad selection criteria when awarding the contract:

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