Bid to end scandal of tiny payouts to sick ex-miners

The Government is expected to announce within weeks that it has struck a deal with claimants and their solicitors to ensure miners or their families receive a worthwhile amount.

The widow of one ex-miner, who worked for more than 50 years at Seaham Colliery, County Durham, was offered only 146.50. Another was offered £17.64.

The awards have provoked particular anger because the solicitors handling the claims earn at least £2,100 per case.

MPs are pressing for a safety net of £1,500, but the ongoing talks are believed to centre around a guarantee of no less than £500.

The Government's compensation scheme, which has so far paid out more than £2bn for cases of chronic bronchitis and emphysema and for vibration white finger, has been widely praised.

But ministers came under fire this week because nearly 10,000 coal workers have received less than £500 for their injuries, with almost 3,500 getting less than £200.

In a Commons debate, Jeff Ennis, Labour MP for Barnsley, said too much compensation was being deducted from final awards for "other factors, such as smoking".

He said: "How can an ex-miner, whose health has been damaged as a result of working in the coal industry, be offered less than £200?

"Claimants and solicitors rightly argue that derisory offers do not reflect the levels usually agreed in similar common law cases."

In reply, Industry Minister Nigel Griffiths said he had a "brainstorming session" with claimants' solicitors to discuss a top-up scheme, to be funded by the solicitors themselves.

But he said: "The problem is that it would be unacceptable for there to be inequitable treatment between different claimants depending on the representatives handling their claim."

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that almost 500,000 claims are still in the system, with cases dealt with at 5,000 each month.

Mr Ennis said: "That implies that it could take a further nine or ten years to settle all the claims."