Industrial Injuries

Oral Answers to Questions — Work and Pensions – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 19 July 2010.

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Photo of George Eustice George Eustice Conservative, Camborne and Redruth 2:30, 19 July 2010

What discussions he has had with the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council on industrial injuries linked to the mining industry.

Photo of Chris Grayling Chris Grayling The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions

Ministers have had no discussions with the IIAC about industrial injuries linked to the mining industry. However, my colleague Lord Freud is planning to meet the IIAC chairman and the council shortly to discuss their work.

Photo of George Eustice George Eustice Conservative, Camborne and Redruth

In 2008 a report by the IIAC concluded that activities linked to the mining industry, such as kneeling under heavy loads, doubled the risk of suffering osteoarthritis of the knee. The activities described in the report apply as much to tin miners as to coal miners, but because the report made no specific reference to tin mining, former tin miners in Cornwall are being denied compensation. Will the Minister review the scope of that report to ensure that tin miners are treated fairly?

Photo of Chris Grayling Chris Grayling The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions

My hon. Friend makes an important point. I have visited his constituency and know what an important part the mining industry has played in his local economy over the years. We all very much hope that it will have the opportunity to do so again in future. I am very sympathetic to the points that he makes. I can give him an undertaking that I will discuss the matter with Lord Freud, and we will certainly make representations on his behalf to the IIAC to see whether the issue of the tin mining industry and those who have worked in it can be addressed again.

Photo of John Mann John Mann Labour, Bassetlaw

I am delighted to hear that the Minister is sympathetic to the mining industry and miners across the country. Can he give a guarantee that there will be no cuts whatever in the industrial injuries compensation that the Government provide to those in coal mining, tin mining and every other type of mining over the next five years?

Photo of Chris Grayling Chris Grayling The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions

It is the goal of this Administration to protect the most vulnerable in our society, and if people have significant issues in their lives we will do everything we can to protect them. Of course, we are facing a massive economic headache left to us by the previous Government. I expect to hear Opposition Members say, "Protect, protect, protect," to us on many occasions over the coming months, but it would not be such a challenge to do so if they had not left such an enormous mess for us to deal with.