New fund will help families affected by mesothelioma

AS a new fund is announced which will see significantly higher payouts awarded to sufferers of mesothelioma and their families, minister of state for work and pensions, MIKE PENNING, addresses the residents of Barrow



THE shipbuilding industry of Barrow has brought with it jobs and opportunities for scores of local people, writes MIKE PENNING, minister of state for work and pensions.

Few would have ever thought earning your keep from doing a hard day's work could bring with it hidden dangers.

But exposure to asbestos has devastated families across the region. Despite being banned in 1999, people are still living with the toxic effects, with many battling unsuccessfully for years for reparation. Two hundred and forty one people in Barrow have tragically lost their lives over the past 30 years to the aggressive cancer mesothelioma.

It's particularly endemic in areas with heavy industry.

It's a crippling disease, which can take 40 and 50 years to present symptoms, but once diagnosed it leaves victims with just months to live.

Over 300 sufferers every year struggle to find a relevant party to sue for damages because their ex-employer has become insolvent or insurance records have gone missing.

It's a serious issue that's sadly been ignored by successive governments. Until now.

After hard negotiations with the insurance industry, I'm pleased to say that from this month anyone diagnosed with mesothelioma since July 2012 will be able to apply for compensation worth up to £123,000. The families of loved ones will also be able to apply posthumously.

This scheme represents a major breakthrough for the many victims of this terrible disease.

Politicians and the insurance industry have for years ignored the plight of the innocent victims of this awful disease. It will end years of injustice that has left many tragic victims and their families high and dry.

As we approach what experts believe will be the high-water mark of diagnosed cases in 2016, I can assure more than 3,500 families they will benefit over the next 10 years from this £380m package.

Until now sufferers have at best scraped a few thousand pounds from statutory schemes. By striking a deal with the insurance industry we have secured substantially higher packages of support that will help 800 people or their families in 2014 - and 300 every year after that.

They will also get £7,000 towards legal expenses.

Cancer is a terrible and horrid disease. But when it's contracted in the course of earning a living, it's all the more difficult to comprehend.

The hard work of the people of Barrow has helped Britain ride the waves and make our country what it is today. I would urge victims of mesothelioma to apply to this fund. While it will never replace a loved one, it will hopefully at least go some way towards getting the justice hard-working families deserve.

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