by Nicola Jordan

Chatham MP Tracey Crouch has rebelled against the government over troubled Legal Aid Bill which would affect the amount of compensation victims of mesothelioma receive.

The Conservative MP, speaking in the House of Commons last night, said that families of the fatal asbestos-related disease should be exempt from paying legal fees

Miss Crouch, who has supported the Medway Messenger’s coverage on mesothelioma, was adamant that their financial security should be protected.

She said: “I should like to see everything possible being done to support mesothelioma victims, especially in regard to providing financial peace of mind before they pass away.

"Anecdotal evidence shows that sufferers often pass away long before their claim has been settled, leaving their grieving families to settle the claim. Sometimes, the stress of doing so is too much and the claim is no longer pursued.

"I want to see meso victims receive a fair package of compensation and I am concerned that the bill as drafted will cause a significant sum of the compensation package to be lost in success fees paid to lawyers.”

Last month a major breakthrough was acclaimed when the Supreme Court ruled insurers who provided policies at the time a person was exposed to the deadly dust must pay out and not wait until symptoms of mesothelioma are diagnosed.