MSPs condemn House of Lords asbestos ruling
12 May 06
Decision to cut compensation goes against natural justice, says 32-strong group
Over 30 MSPs have combined in a campaign to persuade the Scottish Executive to intervene to protect the rights of victims of asbestos-related disease, following last week's House of Lords ruling which could limit the compensation they recover.
A total of 32 MSPs from across the party spectrum have condemned this ruling as a breach of natural justice, calling for full compensation to be given. The number includes Jim Wallace, former Justice Minister.
The ruling, in an English appeal with possible implications for Scottish cases, involved limiting the liability of individual defendants where a number of former employers could have contributed to the disease.
Labour MSP Pauline McNeill, the chair of Holyrood's Justice 1 Committee, said she would be looking into how the committee could pressurise ministers as she thought the House of Lords decision was wrong. She added that she believed the Scots law position to be different.
The Executive is understood to be considering the position.