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24 Jun 2008 : Column WA222
| Table 1 | |
| Solicitor Name | Debt inc Interest as at 12/06/08 |
| Table 2 | |
| Solicitor Name | Debt inc Interest as at 12/06/08 |
Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the current total amount of costs paid to the 10 highest-earning firms of solicitors under the two claims handling agreements in the British Coal litigation; and whether the figures exclude moneys offset by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform against the overpayment of costs in the British Coal vibration white finger litigation. [HL4162]
Lord Bach: The total amount paid to the 10 highest-earning firms representing claimants under the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and vibration white finger under the coal health compensations schemes are shown in the table below as at 15 June 2008:
Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract asked Her Majesty's Government:
On what date the British Coal vibration white finger litigation is expected to conclude; and what will be the final cost of the scheme, broken down between (a) compensation paid to claimants; (b) costs paid to claimants' solicitors; (c) costs paid to defence lawyers; (d) payments made to each of their contractors; and (e) administrative and other expenditure incurred by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. [HL4163]
Lord Bach: We expect to substantially complete the vibration white finger (VWF) scheme by autumn 2008. The anticipated final costs of the scheme, broken down as in the Question, are:
(a) compensation paid to claimants: £2.1 billion (estimated);(b) cost paid to claimants' solicitors: £181 million (estimated);(c) defendants’ legal cost: £47 million (estimated). This is a total figure and has not been broken down into schemes;(d) Capita and other contractors: £638 million (estimated). This is a total figure and has not been broken down into schemes. Medical costs (VWF only): £31 million (estimated); and (e) the department's internal cost: information not available at this level.Care Services: Independent Living
Lord Rix asked Her Majesty's Government:
When their investigation into the impact of reforms to the benefit system, employment support programmes and charging policies within adult social care, outlined in their independent living strategy, will begin. [HL4085]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): The investigation by the Office for Disability
24 Jun 2008 : Column WA224
Government departments have been required to carry out disability equality impact assessments on new policies since December 2006. An equality impact assessment will be provided when DWP publishes its response to the recent public consultation about proposals to reform the specialist disability employment programmes. This is due for publication in the summer.
The Green Paper on care and support, to be published in early 2009, will include an assessment of the impact on equality. Final decisions on the reform of social care funding will take account of the interaction with benefits and employment support programmes, and the impact on disability equality.
Crime: Arson
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many incidents of criminal arson have been recorded by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in the south Belfast area in the past three years; what arrangements exist between the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the fire service to ensure all arson incidents attended by the fire service are reported to the police; how many individuals have been charged in relation to those acts of arson; and what profiling is carried out by the Police Service of Northern Ireland on patterns of arson in south Belfast. [HL4092]
Lord Tunnicliffe: The chief constable has provided the following Answer.
The following table details the number of incidents of arson recorded by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in the south Belfast area in the past three years. The table also shows the number of offences cleared by means of a charge or summons; it is not possible to disaggregate this statistic to show charge only.
| Recorded | Number cleared by means of charge/summons | |
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