Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Hepburn Excerpts

Tuesday 18th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Damian Green]

As the hon. Gentleman says, the homicide service will deal with those who have been bereaved by homicide over the past few years, but more money has gone to local police and crime commissioners, and they can commission additional services, which may well include some of the groups that I know are worried about the services they are providing to more distant victims of homicide. I can assure him that I am equally concerned about that, but the PCCs will deal with them.

[Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow) (Lab)]

14. What recent representations he has received on compensation for people with pleural plaques.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Shailesh Vara)]

We have received a small number of representations on pleural plaques over the past few months, including some from Members of Parliament on behalf of their constituents.

[Mr Hepburn]

Does the Minister agree that the current system of compensation for pleural plaques is grossly unfair? People with pleural plaques living in Scotland or Northern Ireland qualify for compensation, but those living in England or Wales do not. Does he think that is unfair, and is he going to do anything about it?

[Mr Vara]

The hon. Gentleman will appreciate that there are different legal jurisdictions, which means that there will occasionally be differences. In the light of the current medical evidence, the Government do not consider it appropriate to overturn the House of Lords judgment that the condition of pleural plaques is not compensatable under the civil law.