AN MP has hit out at compensation culture after it was revealed that a child received more than £11,000 after being scalded by a hot drink knocked from a teacher’s desk.

The payout, in 2009, came to light after Middlesbrough Council revealed the number of times schools in the area have been sued by parents.

The list details compensation settlements made by the council worth more than £30,000, between 2008 and 2011.

The cases include: £4,250 paid to a pupil who fell during cheerleading practice; £3,750 for a child who trapped a finger in the school gate and £4,500 paid out after a child fell while jumping between benches.

All of the payments were made as out-of-court settlements.

James Wharton, the Conservative MP for Stockton South, hit out at small claims culture that put further pressure on school budgets.

He said: “People should not feel entitled to claim for any minor incident, though, of course, where there has been a serious injury there needs to be redress.”

A spokesman for Middlesbrough Council said that schools have a duty of care to pupils and the payments were made in line with legal requirements.

“As a council we accepted liability on these claims before the cases reached court and agreed an appropriate compensation payment with the claimants’ representatives,”

he said.

The total bill for compensation between 2008 and 2011 was £34,425.23 for seven incidents.

The family of the child scalded by the drink was paid £11,157.62 in 2009.