MP continues asbestos fight

New Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves has continued her predecessor John Battle’s campaign to get asbestos and pleural plaques payments from insurers, the Guardian reports.

She has asked a series of questions in parliament on whether the Conservative Liberal Democrat coalition will honour promises by the previous government to compensate victims those with pleural plaques.

She also wants to make it easier to pursue claims against insurers. She is also pressing the government to back commitments to establish an Employers Liability Insurance Bureau (ELIB) to pay compensation to asbestos victims who cannot trace their former employer's insurer.

Devastating effects

She said: "There is a real concern that the coalition will use the country's financial deficit as an excuse to unfairly target working people, particularly those who have been left dealing with the devastating effects of exposure to asbestos.

"With the backing of trade unions and support groups a huge amount of effort has gone into making sure that the voices of asbestos victims and their families are heard by Government and as a result a number of important assurances were made to them at the end of the last parliament.

"Its vital those commitments are not reneged upon to the detriment of thousands of asbestos victims across the country."