Asbestos compensation ruled out

Justice Secretary Jack Straw insisted that he would not change a controversial House of Lords ruling that prevents sufferers of pleural plaques - a scarring of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos - from claiming compensation.

Although pleural plaques victims have a greatly increased possibility of developing the incurable lung cancer mesothelioma, the minister offered just a paltry £5,000 one-off payment to sufferers.

He then restricted the offer further, covering only workers who started a legal claim for compensation before the 2007 ruling.

Construction workers' union Ucatt leader Alan Ritchie accused the government of "abandoning" sufferers and estimated that tens of thousands of workers would continue to miss out on compensation.

"The government's decision is disappointing, but pleural plaques victims will not disappear," he asserted.

Mr Ritchie stressed that "the campaign will continue because Ucatt believes all pleural plaques sufferers deserve the justice that sadly was not achieved with this decision."

Newcastle Labour MP Nick Brown pointed out that pleural plaques "is a class issue, in as much as the victims are overwhelmingly manual workers who were dependent on jobs in shipbuilding and heavy industry."

But Mr Ritchie added that the government had relied on a Chief Medical Officer's report which was "written by an expert in air pollution who has admitted that he had not met any pleural plaques victims."

Union lawyers representing workers suffering from the condition were joined by TUC leader Brendan Barber in adding their criticism of Mr Straw's decision.

Head of asbestos policy at Thompsons Solicitors Ian McFall declared: "On behalf of our clients we are disappointed the government has decided not to overturn the House of Lords judgement."

And Mr Barber insisted that, while the decision "is a blow to the many workers who have been exposed to asbestos, we will continue to campaign for a change in the law."