Too hot to handle

Asbestos claims have proved a hot potato for insurers, employers and the courts for many years and the House of Lords has now given yet another ruling on the subject; rekindling the debate on how to be just to claimants and fair to those footing the bill. Liz Booth reports

How to best handle asbestos claims has been taxing insurers, employers and the courts for years. In May, the House of Lords gave yet another ruling on the subject, rekindling the debate on how to be just to claimants and fair to those footing the bill. The implications of the ruling loom large for all involved.

In June prime minister Tony Blair waded into the debate when he told a trade union conference, "I regret that judgment. I'm looking at the moment to see the best opportunity for us to