Oral Answers to Questions

Natascha Engel Excerpts

Tuesday 23rd November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Clarke]

It was certainly the Blair Government who introduced the Human Rights Act. I regret to say that I cannot remember who the Secretary of State was, but it was probably the right hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr Straw). Actually, he probably has more things to answer for than that, but that was certainly one of the things that he put on the statute book.

[Natascha Engel (North East Derbyshire) (Lab)]

Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss setting up an employers liability insurance bureau to ensure that victims of asbestos-related diseases who cannot trace either employer or insurer are compensated? I am sure that if he will meet up with me, I can fill him in and persuade him why it is so important.

[Mr Clarke]

The Under-Secretary of State for Justice, my hon. Friend the Member for Huntingdon (Mr Djanogly), will probably be in touch with the hon. Lady to deal with that suggestion. There are obviously very difficult issues involved in these asbestos claims—they troubled the previous Government, and there have been decisions for the courts. We will therefore consider her suggestion with interest; it has been made before, but we will consider it again and come back to her.

Oral Answers to Questions

Natascha Engel Excerpts

Tuesday 19th October 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Djanogly]

I do not know how the consultation report was misleading, but if the hon. Gentleman contacts me later I shall be happy to look at it.

[Natascha Engel (North East Derbyshire) (Lab)]

I am sure that the Ministry of Justice is aware of early-day motion 794 in my name, on the Court of Appeal ruling on mesothelioma liability. I received a letter this morning from the Association of British Insurers. I will deal with their very polite request that I withdraw my early-day motion after this, but first I want to focus briefly on its assertion that

“the industry and the ABI agrees…that the appropriate trigger point for employers’ liability policies is the point of exposure”

to asbestos,

“not the point at which the disease develops”—

the disease being mesothelioma. Does the Minister agree?

[Mr Djanogly]

This is not a matter on which we propose to legislate in the near future, but if the hon. Lady wishes to discuss the issue further with me, I shall be happy to meet her.