Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Hepburn Excerpts

Tuesday 15th May 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Vara]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that comment. This is an independent commission and it is not for me to say what it will eventually conclude, so I am afraid that we will simply have to wait for the final outcome.

[Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow) (Lab)]

17. What recent representations he has received on arrangements for compensation claims by people with pleural plaques.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Jonathan Djanogly)]

We have received a number of recent representations on pleural plaques from Members of Parliament sent on behalf of their constituents.

[Mr Hepburn]

Now that the devolved assemblies of Scotland and Northern Ireland have seen sense and are going to compensate pleural plaques victims, will the Minister follow suit? If not, why not?

[Mr Djanogly]

The Government understand that it could be seen as unfair for compensation to be available in one part of the UK but not in another, but the civil legal systems in Scotland and Northern Ireland and that in England and Wales are separate and there will inevitably be differences in the law.