Miners denied compo


Work and pensions secretary Esther McVey has rejected expert advice and refused to recognise Dupuytren’s contracture as a prescribed disease qualifying for industrial injuries benefits.


Four years ago, the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) made a recommendation to the Department for Work and Pensions that the condition should be recognised as an industrial disease. However, that advice has now been rejected by McVey, who has been in post barely two months.


The NUM miners’ union described the decision as “grotesque”. It means thousands of former miners will be denied compensation for the hand condition caused by their jobs.


Dupuytren’s — a condition in which the fingers gradually curl over towards to the palm — occurs in workers using spades, shovels and hand-held vibrating tools.

http://num.org.uk/news/dupuytrens-contracture-government-rejects-medical-experts-advice