UK Parliament / Open data

Mesothelioma Bill [Lords]

Proceeding contribution from Mike Penning (Conservative) in the House of Commons on Monday, 2 December 2013. It occurred during Debate on bills on Mesothelioma Bill [Lords].

If the hon. Gentleman does not mind, I will make some progress.

The date of 25 July 2012 was when the Government announced that we would be setting up the payments scheme and so created a reasonable expectation that eligible people diagnosed with the disease on or after that date would receive a payment. The Bill does not, and cannot, look to respond to all the people who have been affected by asbestos diseases. The issue of individuals who have developed asbestos-related diseases but cannot trace a third party will have to be addressed outside the Bill. The Bill is not an appropriate instrument—I know that some people think that it is—for taking that forward.

Mesothelioma is a distinctive disease, because it is always fatal and always caused by asbestos. That allows for a straightforward scheme to be put in place as soon as possible. A streamlined scheme, such as the one we have brought forward, could not cover all the other diseases. It would otherwise be very complicated and expensive for the taxpayer.

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
571 c662 
Session
2013-14
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
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