Rowen Welcomes Changes Regarding Civil Damages for Industrial Disease
Added 19/02/2010The Government has released a consultation document outlining plans to improve the tracing of Employers’ Liability Insurance policies and establish a fund of last resort to make payments in cases where employers are insolvent and insurers cannot be traced.
In cases such as those relating to asbestos, disease develops many years after exposure and it can be very difficult to identify the relevant insurer. This fund will compensate those who are not able to access historic insurance policies and are unable to receive civil damages for industrial disease. Under new proposals they would be able to be compensated from a ‘fund of last resort’.
The document is also a large step towards the creation of a mandatory Employers’ Liability Tracing Office. Under this scheme insurance policies will be recorded centrally so that it is easier for people to find their relevant policy and secure the compensation they deserve.
Paul Rowen MP has questioned the Government many times over this issue and has campaigned since entering Parliament for justice for those suffering from asbestos related diseases. Just last week Mr Rowen questioned the Department of Work and Pensions over the introduction of a ‘fund of last resort’.
Paul Rowen said: I have been pressing the Government on this issue for many months. This announcement is a welcome step in the right direction. It will help people find their relevant insurance policy and will protect those who are unable to access adequate compensation when other efforts to trace an employer or insurer have failed.
I will be responding to the consultation document and providing my input to make sure these proposals are introduced. While I welcome this as a step in the right direction, the Government needs to go further, and make these changes mandatory. We need as much information from past and present to ensure this scheme works properly.”