A NORTH-EAST MP has accused one of the region's law firms of ripping off County Durham families claiming cash for miners who died from lung disease.

Durham North Labour MP Kevan Jones stood up in the House of Commons to accuse a Newcastle firm, Mark Gilbert Morse, of taking money from claimants after it had already been paid by the Government for the work.

Mr Jones has demanded that the firm, which has more than 29,000 mining compensation clients, pays back the cash.

He told Government Minister Phil Woolis that the fees levied by firms such as Mark Gilbert Morse were unfair.

"Some are acting like vultures by taking a cut out of claimants' compensation on top of the fees that have already been paid to them by the Department of Trade and Industry," he said.

"This is nothing short of total greed taking money off people who are dying, or poor aged widows and families for whom this money was meant."

Several of Mr Jones' constituents in the former mining town of Stanley had complained to him after signing an agreement with Mark Gilbert Morse which entitled the law firm to up to 25 per cent of their claim.

One affected was Derek Robson and his sister, Doreen Greener, both of Stanley, who put in a claim for their father, Wilfrid, who worked at the Louisa and Morrison Busty pits and died in 1969 after suffering from chronic bronchitis for years.

He was awarded £4,310 and Mark Gilbert Morse took about £900.

"We signed to say yes because we knew no different," said Mr Robson. "When we found out, we were appalled."

John Morse, of Mark Gilbert Morse, said all compensation will be repaid to all clients.