Asbestos Activists Take Campaign To Cabinet Ministers Constituencies

Tomorrow (August 29) members of construction union UCATT and other asbestos activists will take their campaign for justice for pleural plaque sufferers directly to the seats of two prominent Cabinet ministers.

The two constituencies being targeted are the Blackburn seat of Justice Secretary Jack Straw and the Leeds Central constituency of Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, which has the highest number of asbestos related deaths in Yorkshire.

The campaigners are disappointed that a recently published consultation paper on pleural plaques has said that the Government “is not minded” to overturn a Law Lords decision last October to deny pleural plaques victims compensation for their injuries.

UCATT campaigners will be:

OUTSIDE DEBENHAMS

NORTHGATE

BLACKBURN

From 11.30am – 1.30pm

A separate group of UCATT activists and asbestos campaigners will congregate in:

LANDS LANE

LEEDS

LS1 6AW

From 11am – 1pm

Pleural plaques are scarring of the lung caused by heavy and prolonged exposure to asbestos. The scars become visible on x-rays following calcification. Pleural plaques can cause physical symptoms, with victims suffering from severe mental distress. Pleural plaques sufferers have a greatly increased chance of contracting the incurable lung disease mesothelioma.

Compensation for pleural plaques is a relatively low financial amount. However if a pleural plaque victim then develops the fatal lung cancer 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 that judgement asbestos campaigners led by UCATT have been attempting to get the Government to overturn the Law Lords decision. UCATT organised a highly successful postcard campaign, with thousands of people writing to the Ministry of Justice to get the ban overturned.

In July the Government released a consultation document on pleural plaques. While UCATT was pleased that the Government was 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.

Rather than overturn the Law Lords the Government appears inclined to create a scheme for asbestos victims. Such a scheme would not identify liability and attribute blame. The level of compensation provided by the scheme is also likely to prove inadequate.

The Justice Secretary Jack Straw is the key minister in the pleural plaque campaign. The Justice Department issued the consultation document on pleural plaques, it will be primarily Mr Straw’s decision if the Government decides to overturn the Law Lords decision.

Alan Ritchie, general secretary of UCATT, said: “It would be unfair and intolerable if pleural plaque victims north of the border received compensation, while those in England did not.”

Last month UCATT successfully targeted the constituencies of Foreign Secretary David Milliband and Business Secretary John Hutton, as part of their campaign to overturn the Law Lords decision on compensation for pleural plaques victims.

Last year other 2,000 people died of mesothelioma the figure is set to rise further.

For Further information on the Leeds activity contact Barckley Sumner on 0780 2329235

Or for Blackburn contact Jim Kennedy on 07894 414606 or George Guy or 0789 4414625

Activists will be available for interview and photocall