Views Sought On Asbestos Costs Bill

A consultation on legislation which will allow for the medical costs of treating people suffering from asbestos-related diseases to be reclaimed has begun.

The Recovery of Medical Costs for Asbestos Diseases (Scotland) Bill is backed by charity Clydeside Action on Asbestos and is being taken forward as a Member's Bill at Holyrood by MSP Stuart McMillan.

The charity said NHS Scotland spends more than £20 million a year diagnosing and treating people with the effects of exposure to asbestos.

The Bill allows the NHS to claw back the costs from companies which expose their workers, and insurance companies which have already settled civil claims with those affected.

There is no current provision for the health service to recover costs for treating those who have contracted industrial diseases, however provision does exist to claim from insurers the costs of treating people involved in accidents.

Phyllis Craig, chair of Clydeside Action on Asbestos, said: Today is a very important milestone in our efforts to get this law on the statute books but also in the wider fight against the awful effects that asbestos disease causes to thousands of Scots.

We are urging civic Scotland and wider society to engage with our consultation to make clear their views.

It is widely accepted that the number of people being diagnosed with asbestos conditions is increasing, placing an ever greater burden on the NHS and palliative care services.

The responsibility for meeting these costs rests with the employers who exposed their staff to asbestos. It is only just that the employers and their insurers have to meet the costs of care that result from their negligence.''