Last updated at 12:21, Wednesday, 16 July 2008

TRADE union activists will take their campaign to reverse a legal decision denying asbestos disease sufferers compensation direct to John Hutton tomorrow.

DOUBLE DONATION: Hal Armstrong (left) receives a cheque from Victoria Fawcett from The Deemon Dance Studio for the Pierce Armstrong Trust. The cheque, for £750, was raised by the Park Lane academy of dance from the open days and shows produced by Emma Fawcett and her staff. Also, a cheque for £250 from the Scoliosis Appeal was received by Cameron MacDonald from dancer Adele Kewley (right).

Members of construction union UCATT will continue their fight to win justice for victims of pleural plaques by campaigning in Barrow.

The activists are targeting the Barrow and Furness MP in his capacity as Business Secretary, and because Barrow has the highest proportion of asbestos deaths in the United Kingdom.

In the past many deaths were associated with shipbuilding and other heavy industries, but now construction workers are at greatest risk from asbestos, due to the material’s heavy usage in buildings.

UCATT campaigners will be at the Spirit of Barrow Statue in Dalton Road from 11.45am onwards.

Pleural plaques are scarring of the lung caused by heavy and prolonged exposure to asbestos.

They cause limited physical symptoms but victims suffer severe mental distress and sufferers have an increased chance of contracting the incurable lung disease mesothelioma.

Compensation for pleural plaques is relatively low. However, if a victim then develops mesothelioma, the relevant insurers will have already been identified, meaning that compensation will be paid in a victim’s lifetime. If the insurers have not already been identified, this is unlikely to occur.

Last October the Law Lords overturned over 20 years of common law and ruled that pleural plaques should no longer be a compensational illness. Their decision is understood to be worth £1.4 billion to the insurance industry.

Since then, asbestos campaigners led by UCATT have been attempting to get the government to overturn the House of Lords decision.

Last Wednesday the government released a consultation document on pleural plaques.

While UCATT is pleased that the government is actively considering the issue, they were disappointed that the document says the “government is not minded” to overturn the Law Lords decision.

This potentially places the government at odds with the Scottish Parliament, who have already brought forward a Bill to overturn the Law Lords judgement.

UCATT fears that a postcode lottery could be created with pleural plaque victims in Scotland receiving full compensation, while those in England are given less recompense.

In an attempt to place further pressure on the government, UCATT has decided to campaign in the seats of cabinet ministers where there is a high level of asbestos illness. Tomorrow UCATT will be also be targeting the South Shields constituency of foreign secretary David Miliband.

A spokeswoman for Mr Hutton said: “The Law Lords have made their decision on legal grounds. However, we know that those with pleural plaques may need additional support.

“That is why we are consulting on the best way forward, including offering financial support, and welcome views on how people who have developed pleural plaques might best be helped.”

First published at 12:04, Wednesday, 16 July 2008
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk