David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-01-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the Prime Minister will take steps to speed up the legal process for cases involving ex-service personnel who have contracted mesothelioma; and if he will consider awarding equal compensation to the relatives of service personnel who have died while the process is ongoing.
Mark Lancaster
The Government has continuously made compensation available under the War Pensions Scheme for injuries, illness or disease caused by service before 6 April 2005, including mesothelioma. On 11 January 2016 (Official Report, column 612-613) I informed the House that 11 April 2016 would be the earliest date from which we could provide the option of a lump sum payment to Service veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma on or after 16 December 2015. If an accepted claim is concluded before 11 April 2016 and the individual has opted for a lump sum, payment of a War Disablement Pension and any supplementary allowances will begin in the normal way until the lump sum can be paid. The lump sum will be reduced to reflect the amounts paid until that point. If a claimant who has signed an option form to receive the lump sum dies before 11 April 2016 the lump sum will be paid to the veteran’s designated recipient.
