Commenting on the Mesothelioma Bill amendments rejected by Parliament, Ian McFall, head of the National Asbestos Litigation Team at Thompsons Solicitors, said:

“There was cross party support for amendments which would have significantly improved the Bill for mesothelioma victims. The vast majority of Conservatives and Lib Dems voted down those amendments, such as increasing average compensation from 75% to 80%, and in doing so sided with the £ multi-million insurance industry rather than dying people.

“The government did a deal behind closed doors with the insurers who are huge funders of the Conservative Party and then refused to budge an inch on that deal. It begs the question whether Parliament or big business decides the terms of government policy?”