Bernard Allen
Ceist:36 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Defence if claims for deafness compensation will be met from his Department's budget or from Exchequer resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26263/99]
Vol. 512 No. 4
36 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Defence if claims for deafness compensation will be met from his Department's budget or from Exchequer resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26263/99]
46 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Defence if his Department is the only Department involved in payments in relation to Army deafness cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26320/99]
48 Mr. Belton asked the Minister for Defence if he will give details of the compensation scheme he will establish to deal with deafness compensation claims from members of the Defence Forces. [26276/99]
61 Mr. Barrett asked the Minister for Defence the way in which he will finance the compen sation scheme he will set up in relation to Defence Forces compensation claims. [26296/99]
63 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Defence the number of claims to date for deafness compensation within the Defence Forces; the cost and number per month in 1999 of these claims; the plans, if any, he has to establish a compensation scheme; if so, the date for its establishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26302/99]
76 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Defence the number of serving members of the Defence Forces who have lodged claims arising from deafness; the number of cases settled to date; the number outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26182/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 36, 46, 48, 61, 63 and 76 together.
The number of hearing loss claims received by my Department up to 30 November 1999 is 14,665. The number of serving members of the Defence Forces who have lodged claims is 4,339. Of these, 2,943 claims remain outstanding, while 1,396 have been disposed of. A total of 67 claims have been disposed of by court awards and 1,268 by out of court settlement at a cost of £29.5 million. Forty seven claims have been withdrawn and 14 claims dismissed by the courts. A sum of £9.9 million has been paid in respect of plaintiffs' legal costs, giving an overall total cost of £39.4 million in respect of serving members of the Defence Forces.
The average quantum of damages per claim for the period January to November 1999 was £11,970. This is reduced from an average of £30,874 in 1996. Details in respect of expenditure and numbers of claims per month in 1999 are set out in the tabular statement. The number of claims outstanding is 10,178.
Payments in relation to awards and settlements, as well as plaintiffs' costs, are made from the Department of Defence Vote. The State's legal costs in respect of these claims are met from the Attorney General's Vote. No other Departments are involved in making payments in relation to Army hearing loss litigation claims.
Month |
Number of New ClaimsReceived |
Number of Claims Settled |
Number of Claims Awarded |
Total Award andSettlement |
Total Paid in Plaintiffs' Legal Costs* |
January |
99 |
116 |
3 |
£1,911,174.39 |
£929,344.71 |
February |
99 |
130 |
11 |
£2,083,145.50 |
£966,439.19 |
March |
62 |
293 |
6 |
£3,544,539.35 |
£1,534,803.32 |
April |
127 |
247 |
4 |
£3,044,644.09 |
£1,185,821.15 |
May |
76 |
197 |
6 |
£2,829,743.00 |
£1,102,134.54 |
June |
119 |
199 |
10 |
£2,252,912.44 |
£871,687.83 |
July |
33 |
333 |
26 |
£3,713,503.23 |
£1,045,733.18 |
August |
127 |
3 |
0 |
£21,523.00 |
£2,422.50 |
September |
75 |
4 |
0 |
£15,618.00 |
– |
October |
93 |
144 |
3 |
£1,543,378.00 |
£17,191.92 |
November |
51 |
244 |
9 |
£2,835,326.00 |
– |