UK Parliament / Open data

Mesothelioma Bill [Lords]

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

I can only agree with my hon. Friend, and I hope the industry does not assume that the House will let it get away with the minimum it can propose. I assure the House that the mood of many colleagues from all sides is determinedly that we should do the best we can for victims—we and the industry owe them that.

As I think the Minister has alluded to, there is also a debate to be had about the scope of the Bill. It will exclude the self-employed unless they can determine they were de facto employees, and exclude family members who may have been contaminated—for example because they washed a brother’s or husband’s overalls. It will cover only mesothelioma and exclude all other asbestos-related illnesses. I heard what the Minister said about that, and again, I hope we can explore that issue further in Committee. Lord Freud offered welcome assurance about Ministers’ intentions in relation to other forms of asbestos-related disease when the Bill passed through the House of Lords, and I hope we will be able to secure firm commitments from the Minister on that.

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
571 c670 
Session
2013-14
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
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