Government Delay in Giving Pleural Plaque Victims Justice

It has now been nearly a year since the Government's consultation into restoring compensation for pleural plaques sufferers was launched and when concluded it concluded in October 2008 many of us who represent victims of this asbestos related disease hoped that an announcement would be made by the government promptly. 

Indeed at the time of the consultation's launch justice minister Bridget Prentice said that the Government would "aim to publish our response within a month of receiving responses to the consultation".

On 28 October 2008 the justice secretary Jack Straw told the House of Commons that he hoped "to announce our response next month". No announcement was forthcoming.

Earlier this year Gordon Brown the Prime Minister, twice promised an early resolution to the pleural plaques compensation issue.

On 11 February 2009 Mr Brown told the House of Commons: "I can assure you there will be an announcement very soon."

In early April 2009 Mr Brown was again asked about pleural plaques, and he said: "The justice secretary will make a statement on this when we return after Easter."

However on 5 May 2009 Jack Straw said: "Consideration of the responses. is taking longer than we anticipated, because of the complexity involved.  However, I certainly intend that we should come to conclusions before the summer recess."

Unions such as the construction union UCATT are concerned about the delay, as are asbestos disease victims, their families and support groups.

I read online in The Chronicle yesterday that a Government insider has apparently accused Justice Secretary Jack Straw of being ‘opposed’ to taking action, despite the Prime Minister being in favour of helping pleural plaques sufferers.

Victims of the condition, a scarring of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos, were entitled to compensation until a Law Lords ruling in 2007 stated it was no longer a compensatable condition. 

Hopes of Government action were raised after Scottish ministers passed a law allowing those North of the border to claim.

The Chronicle reported:

“The developments came as Gordon Brown yesterday spoke to the Chronicle ahead of a regional visit on Thursday.

“On pleural plaques we hope to make a statement soon,” he said.

But he was unable to say if that would come before Parliament goes on holiday in less than a month.

Ministerial aide Dave Anderson, Labour MP for Blaydon, said: “It is simply not good enough. We need an answer. We need to act as quickly as possible.”

North East Minister Nick Brown said: “We need to get on with this.”

The Ministry of Justice said it intends to publish a response to the pleural plaques consultation before the summer recess.”

Some of my clients have had their cases stayed for a further 6 months until the end of this year by the courts in the hope that by then the governement will have made a decision.  The stress on them in having to wait so long in my view is unacceptable and I urge readers of my blog to contact their MP's and press them to lobby the government to get on with it and give these asbestos victims the justice they deserve.