Miners’ MP seeks probe into compensation payouts
The new chair of the All-Party Coalfield Communities Group has called on the government to investigate whether wide variations in compensation paid to injured miners may be explained at least in part by bad advice from solicitors.
David Anderson, Labour MP for Blaydon, said it is in the ‘public interest’ that the government scrutinises statistics exposing wide variations in average payouts secured by firms handling most claims. The average payout varies by as much as 290% among firms handling most cases for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger, parliamentary answers show.
Anderson recently met David Kidney, junior minister at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), to raise the issue. Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract, who has campaigned on behalf of miners for more than two decades, also called for an inquiry.
Kidney has agreed to conduct a preliminary audit. The minister said the department will examine ‘obvious’ trends in departmental records, before he decides whether to instigate a fuller investigation.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Legal Complaints Service said that the matter is outside
their remit.
The SRA said it has taken action against solicitors where they breached the solicitors’ code, but not because of their success or otherwise in securing appropriate compensation. An LCS spokesman said miners could seek independent legal advice on negligence if they believed an award was too low.
Zahida Manzoor, legal services ombudsman, said she would ‘expect miners with the same degree of illness to receive equivalent compensation’.
- See News focus
Comments
Miners Compensation - what a disgrace
As a Criminal Defence Solicitor and son of a Deputy Pit Manager and Grandson of a miner who were attributed with Vibrating White Finger VWF. I am disgusted with the treatment and delay that all families have had to endure to receive proper miners compensation. It would be an over statement to say that unfortunately members of my profession have been seen to be dishonest and unscrupulous in this matter and there should be an inquiry and those individuals publicly named in a matter which has tarnished the reputation of the Solicitors profession especially in South Yorkshire. My mother settled her claim after 7 years because of the costs that were being incurred in the families claim for compensation resulting in a meagre payout which fell of the average VWF, the firm who dealt with it I notice have declined to comment in News Focus. It is a saving grace that the firm concerned did not have to deal directly with my father, who was at one time secretary of the south yorkshire NUM and also after that secretary of NACODS. My Grandfathers claim is still ongoing after I believe 8 years now everytime my aunt writes a letter on progress she is charged £16 which is then deducted from any future settlement figure, this surely cannot be right. The firm will not deal with me direct as I am not a party to the claim of compensation. I am very angry about this.