Compensation Bill [Lords]

I shall confine my remarks to part 2 of the Bill. I take on board what my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) said about clause 1 and I note the controversy. I shall examine the results of the consideration in Committee of that clause, but overall it is a good Bill. My hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood (Paddy Tipping) made the point about the exemption. One has to make a clear distinction between trade unions and claims farmers, and look at the legal services that trade unions have provided over time. They have pushed the boundaries of the law and in so doing have made society a fairer place. Trade unions and their legal services have made civil society a better society. Part 2 will bring structure and regulation where there was none previously and it is essential that we are able to provide regulation of claims farmers. My hon. Friend the Minister suggested that there were some 500 claims farmers, and I suggest that half of them have come into being since the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease scheme started under the coal health scheme. At present, there are 582,000 registered claims for COPD, 170,000 registered vibration white finger claims and 15,000 posthumous vibration white finger claims. That is 767,000 claims, and many of the claims farmers saw the opportunity to exploit the community.