PLEURAL PLAQUES

That this House is increasingly concerned by the delays in announcing the Government's response to the consultation on pleural plaques and the proposed actions that will deliver justice to pleural plaques sufferers; is also alarmed at statements from representatives of the insurance industry such as Nick Starling from the Association of British Insurers who has claimed that pleural plaques were benign and that there are no symptoms associated with them other than in the most exceptional cases and Pamela Abernathy from the Forum of Insurance Lawyers who said plaques are a good thing and do not cause harm; and believes now is the time to reverse the Law Lords decision of October 2007 that has deprived pleural plaques sufferers of much needed compensation and prior to the Law Lords decision worked in establishing liability at a stage prior to the onset of a fatal asbestos-related disease.