Compensation law moves forward in Scotland
Compensation law moves forward in Scotland
A Labour MSP said he is 'delighted' to have won cross-party support for his proposed shake-up of compensation laws for wrongful deaths in Scotland. Bill Butler has put forward a Member's Bill aimed at speeding up the process of paying compensation to victims of disease and accidents, including those caused by or related to work. He said a total of 34 MSPs from the Labour, Tory, Liberal Democrat and Green parties had given their support to his proposals. That means his Damages (Scotland) Bill can move forward and be considered by the Scottish parliament. Expressing his 'delight' at the progress, Mr Butler, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, said: 'The Scottish parliament should always be on the side of victims and their loved ones. I am hopeful that this cross-party support will continue as the Bill makes its way through the parliament and allow us to change the law to help bring these cases to a swifter resolution.' The proposals are based on Scottish Law Commission recommendations published in September 2008. If passed, the changes will remove the need to go to court in some cases where liability has been admitted, allowing victims' relatives to be compensated quicker. The Bill will also take away the need for courtroom debate on living expenses. Campaigner Joe O'Neill, of the Clydebank Asbestos Group, said: 'This is welcome news for the people we represent. Too often protracted legal proceedings place undue strain on families and I would urge all MSPs to get behind these proposals and ensure that justice can be accessed as quickly as possible.'
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