New clause 2 on the importance of research was tabled by my right hon. Friend the Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East (Paul Goggins), who sadly cannot be with us today to speak to it. I am sure that the very best wishes of the whole House for a speedy and full recovery will be relayed to his family by my right hon. Friend the Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham). I thank the hon. Member for Chatham and Aylesford (Tracey Crouch) for her contribution today and the work she has done through the all-party group with my right hon. Friend the Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East. We wanted to ensure that my right hon. Friend’s amendments were debated in the House and taken forward due to the importance of this issue. He worked tirelessly on behalf of his and all of our constituents on this important issue, which still blights the lives of thousands of people. There remains no cure for mesothelioma, but it is vital that research continues to offer hope to those still suffering from asbestos-related diseases. It is also essential that sufferers receive the maximum possible compensation, and that it is not reduced by having to pay legal fees. My right hon. Friend sought to improve this proposal and I intend to press it to a vote.
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New clause 2 seeks to ensure that a small part of the levy imposed on the insurance industry—no more than 1% of the total claim bill—is used to fund additional research into mesothelioma. Some 2,400 people a year die from the disease, and it is estimated that approximately 56,000 to 60,000 people, as the hon. Lady said, will die from this terrible disease in the next 30 years unless a cure is found. In the other place, the Government continually suggested that they were sympathetic, but they did not provide a guarantee to support and implement a scheme to fund mesothelioma research on a sustainable basis. That is why my right hon. Friend is so determined to see a small proportion of the levy used for research purposes. As I said at the beginning, my right hon. Friend is a tireless campaigner for mesothelioma victims. I hope this House will feel able to support these important amendments in my right hon. Friend’s name.