House of Lords written question – answered at on 1 October 2007.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have made an assessment of the finding in the Coal Health Compensation Schemes report of the National Audit Office, published on 18 July, that through its handling company, Vendside Limited, the Union of Democratic Mineworkers had registered many claims under the British Coal respiratory disease litigation and the British Coal vibration white finger litigation; and, if so, whether each of those claimants would have been required, at some stage, to pay Vendside's fee, notwithstanding the payment of their legal costs by the Department of Trade and Industry.
The department meets the costs of claimants' representatives under the terms of both the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger schemes. However, we would not be privy to any additional agreement reached between claimants and their representatives.
The department is aware that there have been instances where Vendside has charged a fee when claimants have entered into an agreement with the Union of Democratic Mineworkers. These fees are not related to the costs paid by the department to claimants' representatives.
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