PLEURAL PLAQUES PAYMENTS TO WIDOWS

That this House deeply regrets the unreasonable and unjust Government decision to deny compensation to widows of pleural plaques victims who had waited years to receive 5,000 in compensation but who sadly died before the funds were eventually released; believes that these widows played a very important role in sustaining their partners through the overlong struggle for compensation rights; and urges the Government to seek ways to recognise the plight of these widows and to allow the payment to accrue to their next of kin, possibly as an ex-gratia payment on humanitarian grounds.