Scottish asbestos ruling provokes comment
December 14, 2007
Moves to overturn the Law Lords' decision on an asbestos-related condition in Scotland have caused MPs to demand that it is thrown out nationwide.
Earlier this year, the UK's top legal authority said that pleural plaques, a cancer-triggering lung condition picked up through asbestos inhalation, could no longer form the basis of compensation claims from injured workers.
Trade unions and sufferers alike condemned the decision - and it appears that the Scottish Parliament will soon introduce a law to overturn it in Scotland, the News and Star reports.
Cumbrian MP Eric Martlew commented: "I welcome this, to the extent that it will put pressure on the UK government to follow suit."
His colleague Mick Clapham agreed, saying that as pleural plaques are "clearly caused" by asbestos, compensation claims should result from them.
"The Scottish parliament's decision to try to overturn the judgment is brave - we need to consider seriously how we proceed," he added
Asbestos is the single biggest cause of work-related deaths in the UK, accounting for 4,000 deaths a year - around 15 times the current rate of fatal accidents at work.