THE Supreme Court has ruled firms in Wales will not need to pay the NHS medical bills for staff who suffer from asbestos-related diseases.

It overruled a law passed by the Welsh Assembly in 2013, ruling it lacks the legislative competence to enact the Recovery of Medical Costs for Asbestos Diseases (Wales) Bill.

It had originally been tabled by Pontypridd AM Mick Antoniw, who said he hoped it would claw back £1 million for the NHS.

But the five Supreme Court judges unanimously ruled it lay outside the Welsh Assembly’s responsibility to organise and fund the NHS in Wales.

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We will give careful consideration to this judgment.”

The Assembly’s Presiding Officer Dame Rosemary Butler said there needs to be “greater clarity” for people to understand what it can do.

The Newport West AM said: “The Supreme Court ruling further demonstrates the complexity of the devolution settlement in Wales.

“I look forward to hearing what the Secretary of State for Wales has to say on this matter when he makes his St David’s Day announcement on the future constitutional settlement for Wales.”

She added the Assembly will now be invited to reconsider the bill before decided what to do next.

And an Association of British Insurers spokeswoman said the body welcomed the judgement.

She said: “The Welsh Bill would have seen increased insurance premiums for Welsh businesses but no extra compensation for mesothelioma sufferers. The insurance industry remains committed to doing all it can to help the victims of this terrible disease and would be happy to work constructively with the Welsh Government on this issue, as it does on other public policy.”