Written question asked by Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Bach (Labour) on Wednesday, 20 May 2009.

British Coal Compensation

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any assessment of the decision by the Legal Complaints Service, the independent complaints handling body of the Law Society of England and Wales, promulgated on 20 April, to again suspend investigation into the complaints of retired miners and widows concerning the handling of their cases under the British Coal Respiratory Disease Litigation and British Coal Vibration White Finger Litigation by Raleys Solicitors; and, if so, whether they have any plans to meet the Board of the Legal Complaints Service to discuss such matters.

Answer: We understand from the Legal Complaints Service that a decision was taken that from 1 April 2009 all complaints against Raleys Solicitors, either already in the office or received after that date, would be suspended to await confirmation of the intention of Raleys with regard to any appeal against previous Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal adjudications. Ministers will be meeting the Legal Complaints Service and the Solicitors Regulation Authority in June to review their progress on this important issue. Both the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Energy and Climate Change continue to support the Legal Complaints Service in their programme to highlight the issue with coal health compensation claimants.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 3346; 710 c313-4WA
Session: 2008-09
Subjects: Complaints Disciplinary proceedings Compensation Coal British Coal Corporation Industrial diseases Misconduct Mining Solicitors Legal Complaints Service Raleys Solicitors
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk